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2002/03 Reports

Match facts:

Reading goals: Martin Butler (penalty, 15 minutes), Darius Henderson (51 minutes), Martin Butler (60 minutes), Martin Butler (77 minutes)
Assists: Darius Henderson, Martin Butler, Sammy Igoe (2)
Opposition goals: None
Half-time: Reading 1 Queens Park Rangers 0
Gamebreaker: Reading's second goal
Attendance: About 250
Referee: B Desmond
Linesmen: M A Edmunds, A Field
Weather: Sunny

Reading line-up: 1 Jamie Ashdown; 2 Johnny Mullins, 5 Phil Parkinson, 6 Ahmet Rifat, 3 Alex Smith; 7 Sammy Igoe, 4 Andre Boucaud, 8 James Harper (15 Simieon Howell, 62 minutes), 11 Nathan Tyson; 9 Martin Butler (12 Alex Stanley, 81 minutes), 10 Darius Henderson (16 Louie Soares, 81 minutes)
Subs not used: Jamie Young, 14 Steve Laidler
Reading yellow card: Andre Boucaud (foul, 33 minutes)
Reading red cards: None

Match report:

Queens Park Rangers won the reserve League last year, including a victory over Reading right at the end of the season. As they had included some decent players with first-team experience in their line-up I was expecting a tough game for Reading. That turned out to be completely inaccurate.

Little happened in the opening minutes, but Jamie Ashdown did have to make a save and Darius Henderson headed wide from a corner. From our next corner, after 15 minutes, we saw that rarest of events - good refereeing. Sammy Igoe put the ball over, and Henderson was clearly fouled as he attempted to jump for the ball. However, the ball fell to another of our players who shot against the bar. The referee had clearly been looking to see if there was an advantage, because as soon as the ball hit the bar, he awarded us a penalty. Butler took it and scored.

We had the better of the remainder of the half, but without getting another goal. Nathan Tyson showed good speed to close down the QPR keeper and force a corner at one stage, whilst Alex Smith went on one of his mazy runs which on this occasion ended with an offside flag when he tried to play Henderson through. Butler had a reasonable chance just before the interval after a good move down the left side but his shot was weak and easily handled.

Our defence had looked solid, with Ashdown having little or nothing to do in the half after that one early save.

Early in the second half, the points were effectively safe after a neat move started by a strong run through the middle from James Harper. He slipped the ball out to Butler on the left wing, and his cross was bundled in to the goal by Henderson. Not absolutely sure which part of his body got contact to the ball, but the referee obviously didn't think that it was off an arm.

Our next attack saw Butler released through the middle and outpace a defender, but his shot was saved by the goalkeeper. Other similar moves were stopped by the offside flag, until on the hour it worked properly as Igoe slid the ball through the defence for Butler to strike the ball past the keeper's left hand and make it 3-0.

QPR's most dangerous chance of the game so far came shortly afterwards when Ashdown had to be quick to get back to stop a 30-yard attempted lob. Our keeper stopped the ball but had to then drop it quickly to avoid carrying it over the goal-line.

Tyson had put several good crosses over, something that he hasn't always managed in the past, and from one of these Igoe screwed a shot wide. In the next move we had a four-on-one break, but substitute Simieon Howell's cross was just too far forward for our two unmarked players at the far post.

Another QPR half-chance came when Ashdown came out of his area to block a shot but the ball fell for another visiting player. His shot was well saved by the recovering Reading goalkeeper at the expense of a corner.

With 13 minutes left, Butler claimed his hat-trick, with a very similar goal to his second. Igoe played the through-ball which Butler ran onto and slotted the ball past the keeper. A few minutes later, both he and Henderson were replaced, having both looked ready for a return to first-team action.

Our substitutions forced some positional changes, with Tyson and Louie Soares now playing up-front. Alex Stanley went to left-back and Alex Smith to left-wing. However the last ten minutes of the game really just petered out with little happening until the last few seconds. In the third minute of injury time, QPR had a free-kick right on the edge of our penalty area, from which Ashdown made another good save, this time touching the ball onto the post and then also saving the follow-up. Following that Reading made a quick break which failed and the referee ended the game.

Match notes:

Johnny Mullins, a 1st year Academy scholar, made his first appearance for Reading at this level.

Match preview:

Reading have announced the following line-up:
Jamie Ashdown, Johnny Mullins, Alex Smith, Ahmet Rifat, Phil Parkinson, Andre Boucaud, James Harper, Nathan Tyson, Sammy Igoe, Darius Henderson, Martin Butler
Subs: Jamie Young, Alex Stanley, Steve Laidler, Simieon Howell

Ticket information:

Standard for home reserve games - season ticket holders and Young Royals can get in free, whilst other prices are:
Adults - £4
Concessions - £2

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