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2001/02 Reports

Match facts:

Reading goals: Bas Savage (15 minutes), James Harper (40 minutes)
Assists: Michael Branch, Alex Smith
Opposition goals: After 44 and 47 minutes
Half-time: Bristol Rovers 1 Reading 2
Gamebreaker: Final whistle
Attendance: Approximately 120
Referee: Andy Woolmer
Linesmen: Andrew Newell, Roger Vaughan
Weather: Patches of rain, some heavy, but also some sunny spells

Reading line-up: 1 Frank Talia; 2 Steven Laidler, 5 Ricky Allaway, 6 Alex Stanley, 3 Matt Robinson; 7 James Harper, 4 Neil Smith, 8 Keith Jones, 11 Alex Smith (14 Andre Boucaud, 80 minutes); 9 Bas Savage, 10 Michael Branch (12 Scott Williams, half-time)
Subs not used: 13 Jamie Young, 15 Gary Middleton
Reading yellow cards: None
Reading red cards: None

Match report:

The players Reading used in this game were clearly those who are not expected to be involved on Saturday at Brentford, with one exception - Michael Branch returned from his hamstring injury and got a 45-minute runout to see if he could be considered for selection.

In the first half, Reading were excellent and totally dominated the game. Neil Smith almost broke the deadlock after five minutes - he intercepted a pass just outside the penalty area and crashed a shot against the crossbar. Branch had a chance to get on the rebound, but the close attentions of four defenders stopped him getting a good shot in. Two minutes later, Bas Savage had a chance when the last defender misjudged a high ball, but the Bristol Rovers goalkeeper made a good save.

It wasn't entirely one-way traffic, and Frank Talia had to pull off a good save before normal service was resumed. Savage ran on to a ball down the left channel and was pole-axed just outside the penalty area by the home keeper who was booked. In the next move, Branch received a ball played over the top of the defence and also ran down the left channel (when I thought he should have headed for goal). However, Branch drew the keeper out to the side of the goal, and then crossed nicely for Savage to be able to knock in his first goal for Reading. Only eight Reading fans have seen a Savage goal celebration - it appeared to consist of standing on the goal-line trying to stare out the goal post. Obviously been taking lessons from Andy Hughes.

For the remainder of the half we continued to boss the game and Branch tried a lob from 40 metres out that in the end was comfortable for the keeper. Just before half-time we had a corner on the right which Alex Smith curled into the danger area. Under pressure from Savage, the goalkeeper knocked it to the edge of the area where James Harper smashed a perfect volley back through the crowd of players and into the net.

In the last minute of the half, Bristol pulled one goal back when Talia misjudged a punch to a high cross. He didn't get good contact and the ball dropped into the net. There was nearly an equaliser in stoppage time, when a massively deflected free-kick from the edge of the area just looped over the bar instead if into our net.

When the half-time whistle went, all the Reading players jogged off except for Branch, who walked off slowly with Brian McDermott. Alan Pardew went down from the stand to the dressing-room so it was no real surprise when for the second half, Scott Williams came on instead. Bristol Rovers also made one change, and whatever the reason the game was completely different in the second half.

After just a few minutes, the referee awarded a dubious penalty when Neil Smith made a tackle inside the area, and Bristol were able to equalise quite easily. Clearly, there's something in the Bristol air that makes referees see things differently when the home side gets in the box.

We were then under pressure for quite a lot of the remainder of the match, as the home players gave us much less space on the ball. We had Williams playing wide on the left, and Neil Smith playing up front alongside Savage. It was however, Williams that had our best two chances of scoring again, just failing to get onto the end of a Savage cross after a great run down the right, and then putting a header over the bar.

At the other end, Talia made another good save, and later Keith Jones kicked the ball off the line. Both centre-backs, Ricky Allaway and Alex Stanley, had to make last-ditch tackles to stop further shots. We were then perhaps fortunate when the home side had a goal disallowed for offside. Their first shot hit a player in an offside position, but he clearly knew nothing about it. The ball then dropped to another player who put the ball in the net with Talia already on the ground after diving for the first shot. I suppose that the offside player was interfering with play, given that he set up the second shot, but he was trying to get out the way.

Andre Boucaud had a run-out in the last ten minutes of the game, but had little chance to make an impact, and our last goal attempt failed when Neil Smith accidentally blocked a Williams shot after a good run down the right side by Harper.

Overall, it was an entertaining game, with some good performances from Reading players. It seems clear that people like Bas Savage, James Harper and Alex Smith, who all did well, will not be involved with the first team again this season barring injuries, but there is of course the possibility that we saw the green light for a return to the bench for Michael Branch.

Match notes:

Bas Savage scored his first goal for the club.

Michael Branch made his return from a hamstring injury.

Match preview:

Reading have announced the following line-up:
Frank Talia, Matt Robinson, Alex Smith, Ricky Allaway, Alex Stanley, Neil Smith, Keith Jones, James Harper, Steven Laidler, Bas Savage, Michael Branch
Subs: Jamie Young, Gary Middleton, Scott Williams, Louie Soares

Ticket information:

None.

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