Reading 2 Wigan 1
James Harper what a star!!!!!!!!!
Finally i was back at the mad stad for a game (its been a long 3 weeks :() and all the fans were up for it - it any time we needed to get behind the team, it was yesterday! and they did the team proud! its been a while since ive heard the home crowd that loud (just the way i like it!)
There were changes to the team from last weeks 3-0 defeat at sunderland:
Marcus, Murty, Ivar, Doobs (in for Bikey), Shorey, Hunt, Harper, Gunnarsson, Rosenior, Doyle (in for Lita) and Kitson. Bench - Fed, Long, Bikey, Fae, Convey. which meant that Lita was dropped from the 16 altogther (well the possible reason for that i shall post later on).
3 points were vital against wigan as we had lost 3 games in a row and moral was at an all time low for the players, but they did respond. The first half we played alot better than we have in a long time (not our usual standards but still better). We were creating chances and runs - i lost count of how many chances Doyle had - i was just praying one of them would hit the back of the net for him (he desperatly needs a goal nad even more so after yesterdays match). Wigan also had their chances but Kitson put us ahead on 29 mins, with a tap in after Kirkland spilled a Doyle shot! 1-0 to the Royals and the mad stad was rocking!
However what was to be one of the debated issues of the game, came not long after we went ahead. Ivar tripped Koumas on the edge of the area and the ref pointed to the penalty spot - mad stad not happy! Ivar stood still and had not moved - his foot was clearly outside the area. The wigan players had already put the ball on the spot, but after the Reading players asknig the ref to go and talk to his linesman, he did. In the meantime, Wigan were getting a**** about having to wait, so in true Hunty style he wound them up a bit more, by picking the ball up and moving it away from the penalty area
( well done hunty :)). Ref came back and changed his mind - no penalty! but gave a free kick instead! (for once the ref used his head and spoke to the linesman who got it right! well thats what they are there for after all).During all this Brown was still having ago and continued to do so for about the next 15 mins!! Didnt get him very far and Koumas hit the underside of the crossbar - very close. We created more chances and could have been about 3-0 up at halftime, but 1-0 did us at the time.
Halftime - Got to see Convey and Long warm up :) always good.
Second half - we looked very iffy after the break and wigan took advantage, with Marcus Bent equalising 5 mins into the secon half - not good. For a while after this they had us on the back foot and were creating chances. We came back, with Doyle, Hunt, Doobs and Kitson all missing chances. Even Murty was having shots again! (if only he could get another goal - heaven). Rosenior was subbed due to cramp and Convey came on - and boy did he change the game! He played on the right and he did so well - want him to start on tuesday against liverpool. teh runs were coming, passes were being strung together and he created so many chances from that right hand side. We looked like we might sneak it, but the clock was ticking down. Doyle had a chance and we thought it had gone in, but no - hit the wrong side of the net :(
Second point of the match - Marcus went in for a tackle on Aghahowa outside the area that got us all worried (we thought he was off). But again the ref got it right - no contact, no sending off. BUT credit must go to Aghahowa who stayed on his feet and carried on going for goal (eventually Ivar got back and diverted him). Alot of players would have fallen on the floor after a tackle like that, wether there was contact or not, but no Aghahowa stayed on his feet - well done!! credit to you for that (it was also nice to see the ref go up to Aghahowa and say well done to him for doing that - in a game where so many players dive, he restored abit of faith back into the game by not doing that! - wigan fans you should be proud of him).
The was a bundle behind the reading goal, as marcus was getting the ball, when it was a wigan corner and there was abit of pushing and shoving going on, with harper and murty getting marcus out the way (and hes a big guy!).
But Harper saved the day again - up our end with fantastic play from Convey, Doyle and Kitson, Harper scored the goal that got us the 3 points!!!! Never seen Harper so happy to score before! Celebrations all round for the reading fans - the noise level went up about 4 fold. Soon after that, Doyle was through on goal and we thought it was going to be 3, but the wgian players outmuscled him in the end :( wasnt going to be Doyle's day.
Fantastic to get 3 points again and to be out of the bottom 3 for abit. Performances were better, but they still need improving. I dont say this much but yesterday Kitson was my MOTM! he played so well and seems to be making up for lost time, after being out for most of last season - thats 2 in 2 now and 1 assist! Harper - the unsung hero - but not this time!!!
Rosenior - home debut and i def think we got the better half of the deal with fulham involcing Seol. Looks sharp and almost scored too, after Doyle put him through. Lacking abit of match fitness but that will come - linked up well with murty too, considering he was playing right-wing when hes a right-back!!!!!
So back to the mad stad on tuesday for Carling Cup round against Liverpool, so at least this win has given them a much need moral boost (both the team and the fans). I shall be legging it from work to get there to cheer my boys on again!!
All i need now is for Doyle to score to get his confidence back and for Oster to come back from his injury! That right hand side doesnt look complete with only Murty and Doyle playing, it needs Oster to complete it!
Come on URZ!!!!
Right im off to go and watch man u v a Jose-less chelsea now - could be interesting!!!! Come on you REDS!!!!!!!!1
Finally i was back at the mad stad for a game (its been a long 3 weeks :() and all the fans were up for it - it any time we needed to get behind the team, it was yesterday! and they did the team proud! its been a while since ive heard the home crowd that loud (just the way i like it!)
There were changes to the team from last weeks 3-0 defeat at sunderland:
Marcus, Murty, Ivar, Doobs (in for Bikey), Shorey, Hunt, Harper, Gunnarsson, Rosenior, Doyle (in for Lita) and Kitson. Bench - Fed, Long, Bikey, Fae, Convey. which meant that Lita was dropped from the 16 altogther (well the possible reason for that i shall post later on).
3 points were vital against wigan as we had lost 3 games in a row and moral was at an all time low for the players, but they did respond. The first half we played alot better than we have in a long time (not our usual standards but still better). We were creating chances and runs - i lost count of how many chances Doyle had - i was just praying one of them would hit the back of the net for him (he desperatly needs a goal nad even more so after yesterdays match). Wigan also had their chances but Kitson put us ahead on 29 mins, with a tap in after Kirkland spilled a Doyle shot! 1-0 to the Royals and the mad stad was rocking!
However what was to be one of the debated issues of the game, came not long after we went ahead. Ivar tripped Koumas on the edge of the area and the ref pointed to the penalty spot - mad stad not happy! Ivar stood still and had not moved - his foot was clearly outside the area. The wigan players had already put the ball on the spot, but after the Reading players asknig the ref to go and talk to his linesman, he did. In the meantime, Wigan were getting a**** about having to wait, so in true Hunty style he wound them up a bit more, by picking the ball up and moving it away from the penalty area
( well done hunty :)). Ref came back and changed his mind - no penalty! but gave a free kick instead! (for once the ref used his head and spoke to the linesman who got it right! well thats what they are there for after all).During all this Brown was still having ago and continued to do so for about the next 15 mins!! Didnt get him very far and Koumas hit the underside of the crossbar - very close. We created more chances and could have been about 3-0 up at halftime, but 1-0 did us at the time.
Halftime - Got to see Convey and Long warm up :) always good.
Second half - we looked very iffy after the break and wigan took advantage, with Marcus Bent equalising 5 mins into the secon half - not good. For a while after this they had us on the back foot and were creating chances. We came back, with Doyle, Hunt, Doobs and Kitson all missing chances. Even Murty was having shots again! (if only he could get another goal - heaven). Rosenior was subbed due to cramp and Convey came on - and boy did he change the game! He played on the right and he did so well - want him to start on tuesday against liverpool. teh runs were coming, passes were being strung together and he created so many chances from that right hand side. We looked like we might sneak it, but the clock was ticking down. Doyle had a chance and we thought it had gone in, but no - hit the wrong side of the net :(
Second point of the match - Marcus went in for a tackle on Aghahowa outside the area that got us all worried (we thought he was off). But again the ref got it right - no contact, no sending off. BUT credit must go to Aghahowa who stayed on his feet and carried on going for goal (eventually Ivar got back and diverted him). Alot of players would have fallen on the floor after a tackle like that, wether there was contact or not, but no Aghahowa stayed on his feet - well done!! credit to you for that (it was also nice to see the ref go up to Aghahowa and say well done to him for doing that - in a game where so many players dive, he restored abit of faith back into the game by not doing that! - wigan fans you should be proud of him).
The was a bundle behind the reading goal, as marcus was getting the ball, when it was a wigan corner and there was abit of pushing and shoving going on, with harper and murty getting marcus out the way (and hes a big guy!).
But Harper saved the day again - up our end with fantastic play from Convey, Doyle and Kitson, Harper scored the goal that got us the 3 points!!!! Never seen Harper so happy to score before! Celebrations all round for the reading fans - the noise level went up about 4 fold. Soon after that, Doyle was through on goal and we thought it was going to be 3, but the wgian players outmuscled him in the end :( wasnt going to be Doyle's day.
Fantastic to get 3 points again and to be out of the bottom 3 for abit. Performances were better, but they still need improving. I dont say this much but yesterday Kitson was my MOTM! he played so well and seems to be making up for lost time, after being out for most of last season - thats 2 in 2 now and 1 assist! Harper - the unsung hero - but not this time!!!
Rosenior - home debut and i def think we got the better half of the deal with fulham involcing Seol. Looks sharp and almost scored too, after Doyle put him through. Lacking abit of match fitness but that will come - linked up well with murty too, considering he was playing right-wing when hes a right-back!!!!!
So back to the mad stad on tuesday for Carling Cup round against Liverpool, so at least this win has given them a much need moral boost (both the team and the fans). I shall be legging it from work to get there to cheer my boys on again!!
All i need now is for Doyle to score to get his confidence back and for Oster to come back from his injury! That right hand side doesnt look complete with only Murty and Doyle playing, it needs Oster to complete it!
Come on URZ!!!!
Right im off to go and watch man u v a Jose-less chelsea now - could be interesting!!!! Come on you REDS!!!!!!!!1