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2001/02 Reports

Match facts:

Reading goals: None
Assists: None
Opposition goals: After 61, 65 and 79 minutes
Half-time: Queens Park Rangers 0 Reading 0
Gamebreaker: QPR's first goal
Attendance: Approximately 100, including Alan Pardew, Kevin Dillon, Ian Holloway, Robert Codner, Vince Hilaire
Referee: L W Probert
Linesmen: C M Turner, S C Knapp
Weather: Sunny, very warm

Reading line-up: 1 Jamie Ashdown; 2 Chris Davies (15 Mark Boddy, 79 minutes), 5 Alex Stanley, 6 Adam Theo, 3 Callum Earl; 7 James Harper, 4 Andre Boucaud, 8 Joe Gamble, 11 Jason Awbery; 9 Bas Savage, 10 Louie Soares (12 Scott Williams, 52 minutes)
Subs not used: 14 Gary Middleton, 16 Simieon Howell
Reading yellow cards: Joe Gamble (foul, 76 minutes)
Reading red cards: None

Match report:

This was always going to be a difficult game - Queens Park Rangers have two home reserve games this week and will clinch the reserve title if they win both. Reading's professionals on the other hand have, for the most part, spent the last few days in celebrations for the rather bigger prize on offer, and the team put out for this game was closer to an Under-19 side. Only four players had first team experience, and that included Jamie Ashdown with one League game and Bas Savage with about two minutes on the pitch at Griffin Park!

The conditions meant that the game was mostly played at a relatively gentle pace, and in the early part was quite even. The first chance came when Bas Savage on the corner of the penalty area tried to take the ball past about five defenders, and eventually it squirted out to Louie Soares. His shot took a small deflection off a defender's boot and went just wide.

Gradually, QPR imposed themselves in midfield and had more of the game. Jamie Ashdown did well to tip a low shot just past the post after a good strong run into the box. Later a quick QPR free-kick almost caught us out, but Ashdown was able to pick the ball off the head of a forward. Then a last ditch tackle from Adam Theo, at the expense of another corner, was all that stopped another shot coming in. Alex Stanley had to make a great interception to stop the following attack.

Just before half-time we did get the ball up the other end of the pitch again, and a good passing move involving several players ended with a Soares shot straight at the goalkeeper. Then a James Harper free-kick from the corner of the area was nearly headed home by Stanley but took a deflection for a corner. From the corner-kick Harper played the ball to Soares at the far post but he put his shot just wide.

In the second half, it was back to Reading defending. Callum Earl had to clear a cross and put it over our goal to concede another corner, which came to nothing. Then with about half-an-hour left, a long ball over the top of the defence allowed the QPR centre-forward to run into the penalty area and fire an unstoppable shot past Ashdown to give Rangers the lead. Only a few minutes later it was 2-0 when a good run into the box ended with a shot cleared off the line but which went only as far as a QPR player who hammered home the rebound.

Scott Williams had replaced Soares early in the half, and after a while switched to midfield, with James Harper playing up-front alongside Savage. Our best move of the half came when Andre Boucaud played Savage down the right channel but his cross to Harper was blocked by a defender.

QPR played a similar move to the one that produced their first goal but this time Theo did well to push the attacker a bit wide and the angle caused him to shoot over. When QPR got the ball back from the goal-kick, though, they attacked down the left wing and a good cross was knocked into the net, with Ashdown unsure whether to claim it or not (I thought he should have done!).

Mark Boddy replaced Chris Davies at right-back, but in the closing minutes the game just petered out. In the very last moments Williams went down with an injury but before we could replace him with Simieon Howell, the referee blew for full-time.

Even allowing for the young players in Reading's team, this was not a particularly good performance, but at this stage of the season, and particularly after Saturday's result, I'm sort of inclined to say "Who cares?"!

Match notes:

Jamie Ashdown played because all of our younger goalkeepers were unavailable. He had to be recalled from his loan at Arsenal but will return there for the remainder of the season.

Chris Davies and Callum Earl played their first games for Reading at this level. Adam Theo started for the reserve team for the first time. Mark Boddy made his first reserve appearance of this season when he came on as a substitute, but it may not have been his first ever as I think that he played in one game last season.

Match preview:

None.

Ticket information:

None.

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