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2001/02 Reports

Match facts:

Reading goal: Keith Jones (32 minutes)
Assist: Neil Smith
Opposition goals: None
Half-time: Reading 1 Colchester United 0
Gamebreaker: Final whistle
Attendance: Approximately 80
Referee: Steve Habgood

Reading line-up: Jamie Ashdown; John Mackie, Chris Casper, Adi Viveash (Adam Lockwood, 61 minutes), Nicky Shorey; Keith Jones, Neil Smith, Joe Gamble, Adam Campion (Matt Birnie, 83 minutes); Louie Soares (Nicky Forster, 70 minutes), Jason Awbery
Sub not used: Jamie Young
Reading yellow cards: None
Reading red cards: None

Match report:

This was the first game that Reading had played at our new reserve home of Faraday Road Stadium in Newbury. The ground has a small covered stand on one side, and three sides of flat hard-standing uncovered areas. The pitch is very bumpy, contains several mushroom rings and even has dandelions growing on it (plants if not the actual flowers). To be honest, it does not look like a particularly good place to play our games, although it's probably not much lower in quality than the likes of Underhill or Layer Road.

After his heroics of the night before, it was a little surprising to see Adi Viveash in the Reading line-up, although he did only play for about 25 minutes on Tuesday. The main interest in the team was that Nicky Forster was on the bench.

Reading started well, and Joe Gamble in particular made two strong driving runs through the heart of midfield that Colchester were unable to cope with. However, the first good shot of the game was after just four minutes from Adam Campion. He shot from fully 30 yards out, and hit the angle of post and crossbar with the goalkeeper nowhere. Colchester got the rebound away for a corner which came to nothing.

As the game settled down, Reading were clearly the dominant side, and Chris Casper had an opportunity to open the scoring with a header from a corner. However, he did not get good enough contact and the goalkeeper saved comfortably. Ten minutes, later we did take the lead. A Joe Gamble free-kick just inside the Colchester half was headed down to Keith Jones inside the penalty area. He controlled the ball, nicked it past the last defender, and shot past the keeper.

Before half-time Colchester had one reasonable chance to draw level. They got round the back of the Reading defence down the left side but their player had a tight angle for his shot and Jamie Ashdown was able to get out to smother it.

The second half was mostly a very scrappy affair, with neither side showing much up-front. Reading made three substitutions, including bringing on Forster for the last 20 minutes. He was very quiet at first but got in a couple of runs towards the end of the game. One led to a shot across the goal from a very acute angle, whilst after the other run he pulled the ball back for Neil Smith who miskicked and sent it well wide. Earlier, Jason Awbery had also shot wide when he had a good chance to seal the game after a good through ball from Jones.

So the game ended 1-0 to take Reading back to the top of the table. Alan Pardew and Nigel Howe were there to see the whole game, whilst Lawrie Sanchez also watched the first half (but appeared to have left well before the end of the game).

Match notes:

Nicky Forster returned from injury as a substitute.

The reserve side continued their 100% League record, and also have yet to concede a League goal.

Match preview:

None.

Ticket information:

None.

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