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2001/02 Reports

Match facts:

Reading goal: Joe Gamble (24 minutes)
Assist: James Harper
Opposition goals: None
Half-time: Reading 1 Bournemouth 0
Gamebreaker: Final whistle
Attendance: About 70
Referee: J Singh
Linesmen: L Bonaldi, M Downey
Weather: Dry, sunny, breezy and therefore chilly

Reading line-up: 1 Frank Talia, 2 Matt Robinson, 5 Leo Roget, 6 Alex Stanley, 3 Alex Smith; 7 Keith Jones, 4 Neil Smith, 8 10 Joe Gamble (12 Ricky Allaway, 60 minutes), James Harper; 9 Martin Butler (15 Louie Soares, 73 minutes), 11 Bas Savage
Subs not used: 14 Scott Williams, 16 Steven Laidler
Reading yellow cards: Martin Butler (deliberate handball, 42 minutes)
Reading red cards: None

Match report:

This was scheduled to be our last game at AFC Newbury this season, and that may be just as well because the recent weather has made the pitch hard, dusty and a bit bumpy. The Reading line-up contained four midfielders who usually play in central postions - at the start of the game, James Harper played on the left side and Keith Jones on the right (although they switched later in the first half), with Joe Gamble and Neil Smith in their usual roles. Also out of position was Matt Robinson, at right-back.

In the first minute, Reading had two good chances to score. After just 30 seconds, Martin Butler was released through the middle, but with only the goalkeeper to beat his shot was straight at the away side's last man. We regained possession almost immediately and Keith Jones shot just wide from a fairly tight angle.

The Bournemouth team contained a lot of young players, but was not quite the youth side that they had implied would take part in the game. After weathering that very early storm, they improved and it looked as though they might score first. Their possession around our penalty area did not lead to any clear shooting chances, though.

Midway through the half, Reading took the lead. Harper crossed from the left, and the ball was knocked out to Joe Gamble on the edge of the area. He volleyed it back past a crowd of players, and just inside the post. It was a sweetly-taken shot, and not the first time this season that he has scored a good goal in a reserve game.

A few minutes later, Harper came close to extending the lead with a lovely curling shot that just went wide of the far post. And then, Frank Talia had a part to play with a couple of good saves during an increasingly rare Bournemouth attack. Butler was looking closer to his old self, but just before half-time picked up a booking for deliberately handling the ball when it bounced higher than he was expecting.

The second half started with more pressure from Reading. Butler and Bas Savage hassled the Bournemouth defence nicely, forcing them to get rid of the ball quickly and often give it back to us. Neil Smith forced a decent save from the goalkeeper.

After an hour, Ricky Allaway replaced Gamble, and went to right-back. This meant Robinson moved to left-back, Alex Smith to the left side of midfield and Harper into the middle. We should have had a penalty a few minutes later. Savage took the ball down the left wing, pulled it back for Alex Smith who went past one man and just as he was about to shoot had his legs taken away by a defender. Amazingly, the referee waved play on.

Towards the end of the game Butler was replaced by Louie Soares - there weren't too many more chances but the best was when a Bournemouth forward rounded Talia but shot wide from a very tight angle.

Overall, Reading played quite well in this match, although against very weak opposition. The headline news is that Martin Butler seemed to get through the game without further setback, but also on occasions was showing the willingness to chase that is one of the characteristics of his play. I've always thought of Bas Savage as an excellent ball player, but lacking a bit in the air, but there were plenty of times when he won headers or flicked the ball on nicely, so that side of his game is obviously developing.

The defence weren't really tested and the midfield all had solid games, capped by the excellent goal from Joe Gamble.

Match notes:

To follow

Match preview:

Reading have announced the following line-up:
Frank Talia, Matt Robinson, Alex Smith, Leo Roget, Alex Stanley, Keith Jones, Neil Smith, James Harper, Joe Gamble, Martin Butler, Bas Savage
Subs: Ricky Allaway, Scott Williams, Louie Soares, Steven Laidler

Bournemouth said a few weeks ago that for the remainder of the season they would be playing a youth side in their reserve games so that all first team squad members could concentrate on the battle against relegation.

Ticket information:

None.

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