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2001/02 Reports

Match facts:

Reading goals: Keith Jones (8 minutes), Sammy Igoe (51 minutes), Sammy Igoe (65 minutes)
Assists: Alex Smith (2), Adam Campion
Opposition goals: None
Half-time: Reading 1 Barnet 0
Gamebreaker: Reading's second goal
Attendance: Forgot to count them up, but those present for at least part of the game included Alan Pardew, John Still (Barnet manager), Andy Hughes and a BBC South TV crew interviewing Pardew about Martin Butler's injury the night before
Weather: Overcast
Referee: R Lee
Linesmen: C Hayes and E Smith

Reading line-up: 1 Jamie Ashdown, 2 Matt Birnie, 3 Alex Smith (12 Scott Williams, 68 minutes), 4 Keith Jones, 5 Ricky Allaway, 6 John Mackie, 7 Adam Campion, 8 Joe Gamble, 9 Joey Alcott, 10 Paul Mortimer (15 Gary Middleton, 79 minutes), 11 Sammy Igoe (14 Ryan Maxwell, 68 minutes)
Subs not used: None
Reading yellow cards: Ricky Allaway (foul, 55 minutes)
Reading red cards: None

Match report:

The Newbury pitch has improved immensely since the start of the season, allowing a better standard of football. Reading played quite well in this game, but we were never extended by the visiting side. Alex Smith was playing at left-back with Sammy Igoe in front of him on the left side of midfield. This slightly unusual formation allowed Adam Campion to play on the right side of midfield.

We took an early lead after an attack that Barnet could not clear. It started with a good run down the right side by Matt Birnie, leading to a cross by Adam Campion that was knocked by a defender out to Alex Smith on the left. Smith went on a dazzling run past several defenders to the byline from where he pulled the ball back across goal. It eluded a forward but Keith Jones was following up to tap the ball home.

We nearly had a second a few minutes later when Campion lobbed the goalkeeper when played in on the right, but his shot clipped the bar. In the remainder of the half we had a few more chances to score - Joey Alcott had a shot saved after a solo run and then another half-chance where a defender managed to push him wide, whilst Sammy Igoe shot just wide.

Meanwhile, the Reading defence was completely in control at the other end, with John Mackie putting in a tremendous performance. Every time Barnet did get the ball forward, it seemd to be Mackie there to clear.

At the start of the second half, Campion and Igoe swapped wings, and combined for our second goal. Campion crossed and Igoe ran in from the right to just nip in front of the goalkeeper and steer the ball home. Before that Joe Gamble had shot just over from the edge of the area, and the pattern of the game therefore showed no signs of changing.

However, Barnet did manage a real chance after 58 minutes. Initially, their attack resulted in a save at the near post by Jamie Ashdown. He didn't hold on to the ball, though, and fouled a Barnet forward in the penalty area whilst trying to retrieve it. The referee awarded a penalty which merely gave the Reading keeper a chance to make a name for himself, though, as he dived to his left to save, this time holding on to the ball.

Barnet were punished within a few minutes as Sammy Igoe scored his second of the game, this time crashing the ball in at the far post after a Smith free-kick from the left. Very soon after, both Igoe and Smith came off. Ten minutes from time, Alan Pardew left, closely pursued by an Evening Post journalist no doubt looking for a quote!

Reading had one further chance to score when Campion put another good cross in, this time from the right byline, but Gamble's shot from 15 yards out hit the post.

Overall, it was a good display from Reading, but probably not against the most testing opposition in this year's reserve league.

Match notes:

Paul Mortimer played his first game for Reading at this level. He has been back training with us and is apparently on trial again.

Match preview:

None.

Ticket information:

None.

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