Beating Derby County at home was done at an impressive canter; winning at Bramall Lane staked our claim as genuine automatic promotion contenders. So today's opposition offered us a perfect opportunity to stretch the gap over the chasing pack; surely this would be a straight forward win with something to spare. Click to continue reading...

Well, what do I know? Clearly smarting after the unlucky midweek defeat at Turf Moor, Reading reacted in emphatic style by thumping Bristol City 4-1. A brace from The Doyler and  a goal each for Noel Hunt and Kalifa Cisse (a belter) ensured maximum points were taken away from home for only the second time this season. Click to continue reading...

Reading went down to a 1-0 defeat at the hands of Burnley at Turf Moor this evening. Robbie Blake scored the only goal of the contest on 81 minutes. This means we have inexplicably won only once on our travels all season. Simply put, this sort of form means a top 6 finish at best come May next year. Even more of a concern is that the home form has suffered a dip too, so we can't even rely on that to keep us in contention. Click to continue reading...

Today's match report comes from guest contributor, Glutes. Sadly, I was unable to attend Saturday Night's, erm, 'thriller'.

"A disappointing evening at the Madstad saw QPR become the first team to take points from the Royals at home this season. The visitors had clearly done their homework and came to defend from the outset; their five man midfield proved difficult to break down and they enjoyed the lion's share of possession throughout the match. Click to continue reading...

OK, a win's a win. I'm going to struggle to say much more about a performance that echoed Saturday's against Preston, but that thankfully had the opposite result. In fairness to Doncaster Rovers, they looked a bit better than their league position suggests, but if I was being unkind I'd say at times we made them look way better than they really are. Click to continue reading...

Reading's fine run of form came to an abrupt end at the hands of mid-table Preston North End. Stephen Hunt converted a 15th minute penalty after younger brother Noel was brought down by Sean St. Ledger. The Royals went in to the break a goal to the good but a poor second half performance allowed the home side a foothold in to the game. Click to continue reading...

Steve Coppell has a problem. It's the sort of problem, however, that most football club managers relish: he will very shortly have at least 5 capable midfield players vying for just two berths in his team. At the end of the game against Burnley, Kalifa Cisse replaced a resurgent Bryn Gunnarson and promptly sent a message to the manager with an imposing display of his own. Click to continue reading...

We famously bagged 99 goals during that record breaking season, and this term we have already scored 26, which is more than any other team in all four divisions. At this rate we are on target to achieve another huge haul, but it might be a bit ambitious to hope to better that fantastic total. We also have three players amongst the top 15 scorers in the Championship: Kevin Doyle has 8, with the Hunt Bros. Click to continue reading...

Reading barely had to move out of first gear to send in-form Burnley the way of all other visitors to the Madejski Stadium this season with a 3-1 win. Noel Hunt bravely headed in the first after 4 minutes from a Jimmy Kebe cross and received what looked like a stray elbow for his troubles. Shane Long replaced Hunt who was deemed unfit to continue and in truth Burnley probably had the better of the rest of the half without ever really threatening to score. Click to continue reading...

Last night's performance got me to thinking: what have been the best away wins of the Madejski Stadium era (OK, that sounds a bit like an oxymoron but you know what I mean!)?. After the game a caller to Radio Berkshire recalled that fine victory almost exactly 10 years when we went to Wallsall, who were flying high in Division Two (old money), and against all the odds came away with a 2-0 win, courtesy of Martyn Williams and Grant 'History Maker' Brebner. Click to continue reading...

Reading looked every inch the class act as they thumped league leaders Wolves by three goals to nil at Molineux. A goalkeeping error gifted the Royals the opening goal after 5 minutes, Bikey headed in from close range to make it two after an hour and Kalifa Cisse applied the coup de grace late on. Reading were fine value for their first away win of the season: they passed the ball well and defended with composure, Ivar leading by example but Liam Rosenior was also superb and is really beginning to look like a quality player. Click to continue reading...

Four Goals from the Royals' Irish contingent of the Brothers Hunt and Kevin Doyle ensured an easy victory in the autumn sunshine against Swansea City. A dominant first half display saw the Royals coast to a 3-0 lead with some assured and attractive football. It was always going to be tricky to keep the momentum going with the game effectively won, and so it proved to be true as the Welsh side played the better football in the second half, though their only chance of note was a free kick that struck the bar. Click to continue reading...

Steve Coppell has agreed to the idea of a replay of the 'Ghost Goal' match on Saturday. He told the official club website:

If the authorities decide a replay is the correct thing to do then I've got no objections whatsoever.

He went on to say that he felt bad for Watford and wants to make amends.

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There has been some suggestion that we should have allowed Watford to score after the travesty of the first Reading goal, to even things up and allow the game to carry on in a spirit of fair play. John Ashdown at The Guardian thinks so, and he opines that by not doing this we have somehow contributed to the pervasive atmosphere within football of poor sportsmanship and a disregard for fair play:

Why should football abandon all ideas of fair play and sportsmanship? Click to continue reading...

In a game characterised by one of the strangest 'goals' you are ever likely to see, Reading managed to scrape a point at Watford as the indifferent away form continued. The overall performance will inevitably be overshadowed by the incident in the 14th minute which led Hornet's boss Adi Boothroyd to be sent to the stands and later describe it as 'like a UFO landing'. Click to continue reading...