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Barclays Premiership Match 10 |
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Season 2007-2008 |
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READING |
2 v 1 |
NEWCASTLE UNITED |
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Dave Kitson 53
Shane Long 84 |
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Michael Duberry 76 og |
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Date: |
Saturday 27th October 2007 |
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Venue: |
Madejski Stadium |
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Kick Off: |
3:00pm (BST) |
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Australian
Live TV:
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Foxsports 1 via viewers choice |
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Attendance: |
24,119 |
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Referee: |
Phil Dowd (Staffordshire) |
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Match Preview |
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Reading:
Hahnemann, Murty (Rosenior 86), Shorey,
Gunnarsson, Lita (Long 83), Doyle, Hunt, Kitson, Harper, Duberry
Subs Not Used: Ingimarsson, Convey,
Federici
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Booked:
None |
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Newcastle:
Given, Beye, Cacapa, Faye (Milner 74), Jose
Enrique, Geremi, Butt (N’Zogbia 58), Barton, Emre, Owen, Martins (Smith
58)
Subs Not Used: Harper, Rozehnal
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Booked:
Faye |
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Post
Match Comment:
Sam Allardyce said:
“It is disappointing when you throw it away like
that. Whether we deserved to be level - and you would probably have to
say we didn't - nevertheless we had got it.
Reading were nervous and it gave us our best spell of the game but if
you are going to give stupid goals away like that then you are not going
to deserve anything. It was just such a basic error to concede a goal
like that at that stage of the game. We didn't deal with the first ball
but more importantly didn't deal with the second either and the young
lad comes on, runs behind and scores the winner for them.”
Steve Coppell said:
"Our performance was more like the way we played last year - there was a
lot of energy about it. From my point of view it was like seeing an old
friend. I enjoyed it." |
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Match Report: |
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Reading were
deserved recipients of three points at home, as they frustrated a
disappointing Newcastle out of the game.
Sam Allardyce’s decision to play Geremi and Emre in wide positions
prevented Newcastle from using the full width of the field in attack,
and played into the closing down tactics that Reading deployed
throughout the match. They pressured the ball constantly, with all of
their players helping to ensure that Newcastle seldom settled in attack.
Conversely the performance from United was lacklustre, with a poorly
focused attack and an at times calamitous defence.
The opening minutes of the match were uninspiring for both teams, as
they settled into the pace of the game. Reading were the first to
stabilise having a penalty appeal turned down against Brazilian central
defender Cacapa. With the pace of Leroy Lita up front, Reading were
testing the United offside trap, and it was good interplay between two
of their attacking players that should have lead to the first goal.
Kevin Doyle played a short cross from the right channel into an unmarked
Lita 8 yards out. Miraculously Lita completely scuffed what should have
been an easy tap in, and Newcastle were let off.
A few minutes later Newcastle created what was to be their best chance
of the match, with Habib Beye threading a long pass into the path of
Michael Owen who chested the ball down before contacting Reading keeper
Marcus Hahnemann who had completely missed the ball. Owen appealed for a
penalty, but the referee was steadfast, ultimately making the right
decision as Hahnemann had not intentionally blocked the Newcastle
striker.
In an embarrassing incident that almost resulted in the first goal of
the game a misunderstanding between Given and Cacapa lead the Brazilian
to send a heavy back pass goal bound. The Republic of Ireland keeper
rushed back to clean up, a few rolls before the ball crossed the line,
sparing blushes for all.
Another chance fell to Lita late in the second half, but he blazed his
shot over under the pressure of a scrambling defence, after taking a
controlling touch. The under 21 England international should have taken
the shot first time, but was likely to be feeling the pressure after his
early miss. It was all square at half time, Newcastle lucky to be in
that position.
Less than 10 minutes into the second half Reading had their just
desserts when Dave Kitson curled the ball suberbly past a helpless Given
and into the back of the net. The striker was all on his own at the top
of the box and had enough time and space to expertly whip the left
footed shot in after the ball fortuitously fell to him from a Stephen
Hunt pass.
In the 58th minute, behind on the scoresheet Allardyce made use of his
bench bringing on Alan Smith for Obafemi Martins, and Charles N’Zogbia
for Nicky Butt. The addition of N’Zogbia finally gave Newcastle some
width in attack, as Emre ducked into a central midfield role. In the
74th minute Big Sam moved again, bringing on James Milner to play on the
right wing. It was Abdoulaye Faye who made way after he had received a
yellow card for a two footed lunging tackle on Lita moments before. With
Faye off Beye moved into the centre of defence alongside Cacapa and
captain Geremi dropped into his familiar position of right back.
It didn’t take long for the addition of Milner to pay dividends, with
the wingman earning a free-kick in the corner as a result of his never
say die attitude. Emre embellished on the position of the free-kick,
whipping in a dangerous ball that appeared to narrowly elude the boot of
Alan Smith at the front post. Michael Duberry got himself into a poor
position facing his own goal and as a result chested the ball into the
back of the net.
The goal seemed to revitalise the Newcastle attack, and minutes later
substitute N’Zogbia whipped in a stinging shot that Hahnemann could only
parry. Fortunately for Reading the loose ball fell to one of their
defenders, who was able to clear it to safety. Steve Coppell replaced
the disappointing Lita with Shane Long in the 83rd minute, and it didn’t
take the forward long to have an impact. Beye and Cacapa had a
misunderstanding at the back, failing to clear a ball into the box. On
the bounce it fell to Long, who took one touch before blasting a shot
high into the net giving his side a deserved lead.
On 90 minutes Newcastle had the ball in the back of the net, after
N’Zogbia crossed for Cacapa to head home, but it was correctly ruled out
for offside, the central defender a few yards clear of his nearest
marker. The fact that deep into injury time striker Kitson was still
charging down balls was testament to the commitment and desire of
Reading. They had played to a plan and rightfully come away with three
points. Newcastle were left to rue another disappointing loss on the
road. Newcastle were at their best when they strung together short,
sharp passes through the midfield, though sadly they were few and far
between. It’s difficult to pick out the best players for United, as
noone was particularly good. New recruit Joey Barton started his first
match for Newcastle, and came through the full 90 minutes with no
problems. It was for him an almost anonymous return, with the midfielder
hardly involved in the Newcastle attack. |
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By
DjBigK
AUSSIE MAGS |
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