LATEST NEWS ON 'The Royals'
September 2005
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  • 30th September 2005 - Blades Preview

    • Reading could be without skipper Graeme Murty for the top-of-the-table clash with Sheffield United at the Madejski Stadium.

    The 30-year-old defender sustained an ankle injury in training on Monday, but played through the pain barrier at Southampton on Wednesday before being forced off with a hamstring strain.

    Stephen Hunt will deputise should Murty not make it, meaning Chris Makin slotting in at right-back.

    Striker Kevin Doyle requires splintering work to one of his front teeth following an off-the-ball clash with Darren Powell at St Mary's, but is expected to be fit to face the Blades.

    Dave Kitson (ankle), Steve Sidwell (knee) and Nicky Shorey (knee) are all still absent.

    Sheffield United manager Neil Warnock is unlikely to make any changes to his table-topping side.

    The Blades will look to extend their lead at the top of the Championship and Warnock is expected to keep faith with the players who beat Plymouth 2-0 during the week.

    Danny Webber was a late substitute in the game after recovering from a calf injury, while Craig Short is pushing for a recall to the squad following a hamstring problem.

    Reading coach Kevin Dillon has warned of the threat posed by United's direct route to goal as the Championship's top two prepare for their first meeting of the season.

    The Blades have won 10 of their 11 league matches to date, opening up a six-point advantage over Reading whose start has nevertheless been impressive.

    Dillon expects the visitors to the Madejski Stadium to stay true to the style of play which has made them the league's top scorers on 24 goals.

    He considers Warnock's side superior to Crystal Palace, Norwich and Southampton, who parachuted into the division from the Premiership this summer, and insists the problem lies not in identifying their threat, but in combating it.

    "We've played the three teams who came down but this is probably the toughest game," Dillon told www.readingfc.co.uk.

    "We break the matches down into groups of six, this is the last in our current batch and probably the hardest.

    "They've had a superb run. They're direct, they like to get the ball forward and get it into the box with corners and throw-ins."

    Warnock told www.sufc.co.uk: "It is great to have the points on board, especially going to Reading. Then we have Wolves, Millwall, Leeds in the next six weeks - it will be our most difficult part of the season.

    "I'm looking forward to Reading, sometimes you need that competition and you will see more from my players when they go up against a better team.

    "It's a game where there is talk of pressure but I don't think there is as much pressure on us as Reading and the other teams around."
    Reading V Sheffield United
    Top Lge Scorers Goals Saturday 1/10 @ 3:00pm Top Lge Scorers Goals
    Lita 5 Referee: G Hegley (Hertfordshire) Kabba 6
    Doyle 3 Games: 8   Yellows: 16   Reds: 1 Shipperley 4
    Convey 2 Last 4 Meetings Ifill 3
    Little 2 02/04/2005 Reading 0 0 Sheffield Utd Quinn 2
    Kitson 2 14/08/2005 Sheffield Utd 0 1 Reading Unsworth 2
    Lge Discipline   Y R 28/02/2004 Reading 2 1 Sheffield Utd Lge Discipline   Y R
    Sidwell 3 0 24/10/2003 Sheffield Utd 1 2 Reading Kozluk 3 0
    Little 2 0 Morgan 2 0
    Doyle 2 0 Head to Head Shipperley 2 0
    Lita 1 0 Reading Draws SheffU Kenny 2 0
    Gunnarsson 1 0 League 11 5 10 Unsworth 2 0
    Lge Goal details:     FA Cup 0 0 1 Lge Goal details:    
    When: F A League Cup 0 0 0 When: F A
    first half 9 3 Total 11 5 11 first half 12 4
    second half 14 4 second half 13 6
    From: League Games Since From:
    open play 11 5 1 a win 0 open play 13 6
    crosses 2 0 0 home win 0 crosses 3 1
    corners 1 0 1 away win 1 corners 2 1
    penalties 1 0 12 a defeat 10 penalties 3 0
    direct from free-kick 2 0 6 home defeat 7 direct from free-kick 1 1
    free-kicks 2 1 6 away defeat 4 free-kicks 1 1
    5 a score draw 17
    Total 23 7 0 a no score draw 2 Total 25 10
    4 conceding a goal 1
    1 scoring a goal 0
    Current Form (last 3 games - all competitions)
    28/09/2005 Southampton Away Drew  0:0   27/09/2005 Plymouth Home Won  2:0
    24/09/2005 Norwich Away Won  1:0   24/09/2005 Derby Home Won  2:1
    20/09/2005 Luton Home Won  1:0   20/09/2005 Shrewsbury Away Drew  0:0


  • 28th September 2005 - Royals Hang On

    • Southampton drew for the sixth successive game in an entertaining goalless draw with second-placed Reading at St Mary's.

    But the Royals, looking for their fourth straight victory in the Coca-Cola Championship, had goalkeeper Marcus Hahnemann to thank for making a series of fine saves in the first half.

    The American kept out a fine volley from Kamil Kosowski and made an instinctive save to deny Ricardo Fuller to ensure Sheffield United's lead at the top of the table was cut to six points.

    Saints should have been in front inside the first 30 seconds. Danny Higginbotham supplied a cross for recalled striker Kenwyne Jones to head straight into the path of skipper Nigel Quashie but the midfielder blasted wide from eight yards with the goal gaping.

    But unchanged Reading carved open a chance of their own four minutes later as Ivar Ingimarsson's near-post header took a deflection and looped just wide of the far post.

    Harry Redknapp's men nearly broke the deadlock after 10 minutes when Dennis Wise's outswinging corner was well controlled by Kosowski, whose 20-yard volley was superbly tipped over by Hahnemann.

    The Royals keeper then had to be on his toes to hold on to a long-range effort from Quashie.

    After a flurry of cautions and stoppages Saints started to exert control and were denied an opener again by Hahnemann in the 32nd minute.

    Polish midfielder Kosowski provided a great cross for Jones, but his flying header brought out a fantastic point-blank save by Hahnemann.

    Jones then fired over the bar from distance before Royals boss Steve Coppell was forced into making his first substitution, with captain Graeme Murty, who was doubtful before the game, coming off for Stephen Hunt.

    Reading finished the half strongly as Glen Little squeezed in a shot which took a deflection, while Ingimarsson tested Antti Niemi with a header, before Bobby Convey shot wide when well placed.

    The second half started in similar fashion to the end of the first, with Reading on the attack.

    And the visitors were unlucky not to be awarded a penalty when Little went down under a challenge from Wise, but Poll waved away the appeals.

    Just past the hour, Reading should have taken the lead when Little's pinpoint cross found Kevin Doyle, but his header from eight yards out cleared the crossbar.

    Back came Southampton as Kosowski found acres of space on the right side of the area, but sliced horribly wide in the 70th minute.

    That proved to be his last moment on the pitch as the Saints fans reserved their biggest cheer of the night to his replacement Marian Pahars - out for nearly 18 months due to a combination of ankle and heel injuries.

    And the Latvian's introduction sparked Saints into life once more as Hahnemann clawed away a Higginbotham header from a Wise free-kick.

    Pahars nearly made a dream start to his first-team return when he squeezed in a shot in a goalmouth scramble, but Ingimarsson made a crucial block to clear the ball away for a corner.

    But as the rain began to fall the chances of a winner started to slip away, although Doyle, celebrating his first call-up to the Republic of Ireland squad, shot straight at Niemi.

    Saints nearly grabbed a last-minute winner when Wise delivered a cross to the near post, but Fuller could only direct his header wide of the left-hand post.


  • 24th September 2005 - Harps seals Points For Royals


    • But it could so easily have been a point for the lacklustre Canaries after Dean Ashton dragged a last-minute penalty wide following a tumble by Calum Davenport in the box.

    Norwich recalled a host of players to the side that beat Northampton 2-0 in the Carling Cup in midweek and started brightly, with the presence of Ashton in particular causing problems for Reading.

    The former Crewe striker looked lively from the off and almost got on the end of Jim Brennan's fifth-minute corner as he jumped at the far post.

    Nine minutes later, however, he gave the Canaries a real scare when he banged heads with Brynjar Gunnarsson before worryingly crashing to the deck.

    He only appeared back on the pitch after several groggy minutes spent recovering on the sidelines and even then did not look entirely over the challenge.

    Reading, who were boosted by Kevin Doyle, Harper and Ibrahima Sonko all passing late fitness tests, were playing with plenty of width and after 26 minutes American Bobby Convey should have done better with a flashing drive from the left channel before Glen Little drew a fine save from Robert Green.

    Goalkeeper Marcus Hahnemann set the Royals away with a long throw out from a Norwich corner and when the ball was fed to Little on the right, he cut inside only for Green to block at his feet.

    It was nip and tuck as both sides traded possession and at the other end Kevin Lisbie screwed a 32nd-minute shot wide after Green's long ball had found him in space.

    The action lacked real fluency though, and despite another chance for Ashton when his downward header forced a superb save from Hahnemann only for the referee to haul back the action for a push, it remained goalless.

    The game was crying out for a spark of inspiration from someone and eight minutes after the restart Lisbie almost provided it as his right-footed effort forced Hahnemann to tip round the post.

    But on the hour mark Norwich found themselves behind. Doyle got the better of his marker out wide before squaring the ball to Harper and although his shot was initially blocked, he made no mistake at the second attempt.

    City boss Nigel Worthington had seen enough and sent on Darren Huckerby in place of Paul McVeigh in a bid to find a way back.

    It was Ashton who continued to look the most likely source of a goal, however, as he flicked on a 71st-minute header that was cleared off the line by Sonko.

    The Canaries continued to press and with 14 minutes left Andy Hughes burst into the area only to drill wide.

    Then, in the final minute, Ashton was given a glorious chance to level the scores.

    When Davenport went down under the challenge of Convey in the area it initially appeared that referee Trevor Kettle was set to book the on-loan Tottenham man for diving. After consulting his assistant though, he pointed to the spot.

    That gave Ashton the chance to grab the most unlikely of equalisers but the striker never looked confident of applying the finish as he dragged the spot-kick wide.


  • 24th September 2005 - Blades Drawn In Carling

    • Reading have been drawn at home to current Championship leaders Sheffield United in the 3rd Round of the Carling Cup. The tie will be played week commencing 24th October.

  • 21st September 2005 - Saints Sell Out

    • Reading having completely sold out their allocation of tickets for the game at Southampton next Wednesday. After selling their initial allocation of 2800, an additional 800 tickets were snapped up within hours today.

  • 20th September 2005 - Royals Scrape Through

    • Reading scraped a 1:0 victory over Luton Town to progress to the 3rd Round of Carling Cup.

    In what was a truely dreadful game, there was very little for anyone to get remotely excited about as the 2 sides could only manage one shot on target each in the entire 90 minutes. And the solitary Reading effort that resulted in the goal was a total fluke. John Oster took a free kick from out on the left wing and his floated cross was missed by everyone to end up in the back of the net; a repeat of Glen Little's effort at Brighton earlier in the season.

    This was hard work for the Royals, but their task was not made easy by the inclusion of Sekou Baradji and Eric Obinna, both of whom were completely clueless. In fact, their performances bordered on embarrassing and it was painful to watch.

    With both sides just going through the motions, happy to go through if they won but not really bothered if they didn't (no matter what the players and management might say), it is hardly surprising that fans do not wnat to part with their hard earned cash and turn out for such fixtures. A paltry crowd of under 7000 was typical of most clubs in this much maligned competition. Of course though, if the Royals should draw one of the big guns in the next round then it will all have been worthwhile.

  • 19th September 2005 - Sweden Tour Pics

    • A little late I know, but at last here are a few pictures from the pre-season tour to Sweden. Check out the typical Swedish blonde - wish you had been there???

    Pictures are courtesy of Charlie Berry. Cheers Charlie and thanks for looking after me - NOT!

    Click on a thumbnail below to see the full size pic.



  • 17th September 2005 - Narrow Win For Royals


    • Steve Coppell's side started the game brightly and were quick to test Ross Turnbull in the visitors goal when Glen Little's left-footed drive from outside the area stung the youngster's palms in the opening minute.

    The 20-year-old Turnbull, on loan from Middlesbrough, failed to hold on to the shot at the first attempt but reacted quickly to smother the slight rebound.

    The Royals continued to press early on and forced a corner soon after, but Little's cross was headed clear from under his own crossbar by Stephen Foster.

    It took Crewe until just after the quarter hour to register their first effort on goal, David Vaughan burst dangerously from midfield but his shot from the edge of the box caused Marcus Hahnemann in the home goal little difficulty.

    Reading missed the guile of striker Dave Kitson who lost his bid to return to action after looking set for a shock return against the Railwaymen.

    The 25-year-old had been expected to be out for between four and six weeks after sustaining an ankle injury in the 2-1 win over Burnley on Bank Holiday Monday, but seemed likely to comeback after missing the last two matches.

    However the prolific Royals hitman will now be out for a further two weeks after aggravating the injury in training on Friday.

    Steve Sidwell (knee) and Nicky Shorey (medial ligament damage), who also sustained injuries during the Bank Holiday clash with Burnley, also missed out again, leaving Brynjar Gunnarsson and Chris Makin to continue in their respective midfield and defensive roles.

    On loan Manchester United striker Eddie Johnson was absent for Crewe after picking up a hamstring problem in the 1-1 draw at Plymouth, while Turnbull was preferred in goal for the third game in succession despite the return to fitness of Ben Williams from a calf injury.

    Gradi's side began to force their way further into the match after Vaughan's effort and the 23-year-old had another effort mid-way through the half blocked by Ibrahima Sonko.

    The Senegalese defender throwing himself in front of Vaughan as the midfielder pulled the trigger from close range.

    Steve Jones was then denied by Hahnemann, the striker fired his shot straight at the USA international from six yards out when he really should have done better.

    Reading started the second half as they started the first and pinned Crewe back in their own half early on.

    Kevin Doyle, in a rich vein of form after scoring in each of his last three Championship starts, almost grabbed his fourth goal of the campaign after 55 minutes, but Foster bravely diverted the danger.

    From the resulting corner Bobby Convey saw his left-footed drive from the edge of the area sail narrowly wide of Turnbull's upright.

    Turnbull kept his side in the game either side of the hour mark, denying Doyle from 10-yards out and then Leroy Lita's close-range header.

    However Turnbull's resistance was broken in the 81st minute. John Oster's cross resulted in an almighty scramble inside the Crewe six yard box, before Ingimarsson finally bungled the bobbling ball over the line with his head to seal the points for Coppell's side.

    Reading are unbeaten since the opening-day defeat at home to Plymouth, while the Railwaymen are still searching for their first away win of the season.


  • 16th September 2005 - Crewe Preview

    • Manager Steve Coppell has no fresh injury or suspension concerns following Tuesday`s thrilling 3-2 win over Crystal Palace.

    Steve Sidwell (knee) and Nicky Shorey (medial ligament damage), who sustained injuries during the Bank Holiday clash with Burnley, remain sidelined. It had looked as if striker Dave Kitson may have made an earlier than expected return to the side, but he jarred his ankle again in training on Thursday.

    Brynjar Gunnarsson is expected to continue for Sidwell in midfield, while Chris Makin will again slot in at the back for Shorey.

    Crewe boss Dario Gradi will be without striker Eddie Johnson for the trip to the Madejski Stadium.

    The on-loan Manchester United man picked up a hamstring problem in the 1-1 draw at Plymouth and is expected to miss out at the Madejski Stadium.

    Luke Rodgers (ankle) is pushing for his first start for the Alex since joining from Shrewsbury in the summer, while defender Adie Moses (ankle) remains on the sidelines.

    Goalkeeper Ben Williams is fit again following a calf problem but has been kept out of the starting line-up for the last two games by Ross Turnbull.
    Reading V Crewe Alexandra
    Top Lge Scorers Goals Saturday 17/9 @ 3:00pm Top Lge Scorers Goals
    Lita 5 Referee: A Woolmer (Northamptonshire) Rivers 3
    Doyle 3 Games: 6   Yellows: 10   Reds: 1 Varney 2
    Convey 2 Last 4 Meetings Jones 1
    Little 2 22/02/2005 Crewe 1 1 Reading Vaughan 1
    Kitson 2 23/10/2004 Reading 4 0 Crewe Johnson 1
    Lge Discipline   Y R 17/04/2004 Reading 1 1 Crewe Lge Discipline   Y R
    Sidwell 3 0 01/11/2003 Crewe 1 0 Reading Foster 2 0
    Little 1 0 Jones 2 0
    Doyle 1 0 Head to Head Higdon 2 0
    Lita 1 0 Reading Draws Crewe Varney 1 0
    Gunnarsson 1 0 League 11 13 6 Walker 1 0
    Lge Goal details:     FA Cup 0 0 0 Lge Goal details:    
    When: F A League Cup 0 0 0 When: F A
    first half 9 3 Total 11 13 6 first half 8 7
    second half 11 4 second half 3 11
    From: League Games Since From:
    open play 9 5 0 a win 8 open play 6 8
    crosses 2 0 0 home win 3 crosses 1 3
    corners 1 0 2 away win 15 corners 1 0
    penalties 1 0 8 a defeat 2 penalties 0 1
    direct from free-kick 2 0 4 home defeat 1 direct from free-kick 0 0
    free-kicks 2 1 4 away defeat 1 free-kicks 2 1
    1 a score draw 0
    Total 20 7 3 a no score draw 59 Total 11 18
    0 conceding a goal 0
    0 scoring a goal 0
    Current Form (last 3 games - all competitions)
    13/11/2005 Palace Home Won  3:2   13/09/2005 Plymouth Away Drew  1:1
    10/09/2005 Coventry Away Drew  1:1   11/09/2005 Derby Home Drew  1:1
    29/08/2005 Burnley Home Won  2:1   27/08/2005 SheffUtd Home Lost  1:3


  • 13th September 2005 - Sky Date With Rams

    • Reading's away game at Derby County on New Year's Eve has been put back to a 5:15pm kick-off for live coverage on Sky Sports.

  • 13th September 2005 - Ab Fab Royals

    • Two of the Championship favourites produced a thrilling contest at the Madejski Stadium as Ibrahima Sonko's late winner handed Reading a 3-2 victory against Crystal Palace.

    An end-to-end affair saw Kevin Doyle give Reading a first half lead, only for Andrew Johnson to equalise for Palace before the England man was carried off with an injury shortly before half-time.

    Clinton Morrison put the visitors ahead in the opening minutes of the second half before Leroy Lita`s superb effort levelled matters - only for Sonko completed the scoring.

    The first half saw Glen Little link up with Doyle to cause Palace a number of problems and the latter showed his pace to get away from his markers a number of times early on but he failed to beat Gabor Kiraly in the Palace goal.

    Doyle was finally rewarded for his efforts after 26 minutes with his third goal in three games, firing home from 20 yards into the bottom right hand corner to give Reading the lead.

    However, moments later Palace were level when Johnson burst into the penalty area and squeezed a low shot beyond Marcus Hahnemann from a narrow angle.

    Ten minutes before the interval, the Eagles suffered a major blow as the in-form Johnson was carried off, with Jon Macken coming on in his place.

    Before many fans could return to their seats for the second half, Morrison had given Palace the lead, volleying home Darren Ward`s flick-on to set up another frantic 45 minutes.

    Reading set about finding an equaliser and Sonko and Little both went close before the pressure on Palace began to tell as Morrison was booked for dissent.

    It took a sensational strike to draw Reading level as Lita put himself in the running for goal of the season with a spectacular overhead kick from the edge of the six-yard box.

    Minutes later, Doyle dashed into the penalty area and was clipped, leaving the referee in no doubt as he pointed to the spot to give Reading a penalty.

    The Royals were given two chances to take the lead as Lita saw his spot-kick saved by Kiraly, only for the referee to order a retake.

    But Little could do no better with his effort and Kiraly kept his side in the contest with another save.

    The drama was too much for Palace boss Iain Dowie, who was sent to the stands for a touchline incident.

    And in the closing minutes Sonko connected with Little`s cross to bury the ball in the top corner, sending the Reading faithful home satisfied and thoroughly entertained.


  • 12th September 2005 - Palace Preview

    • Reading have no new injury or suspension concerns ahead of the mouth-watering clash with Crystal Palace.

    Steve Sidwell (knee), Nicky Shorey (medial ligament damage) and Dave Kitson (ankle), who all sustained injuries during the 2-1 win over Burnley on Bank Holiday Monday, remain sidelined.

    Brynjar Gunnarsson is expected to continue for Sidwell in midfield, while Chris Makin will again slot in at the back for Shorey.

    Royals manager Steve Coppell dropped a strong hint that Kevin Doyle will keep his place up front in the absence of Kitson after scoring at both Burnley and Coventry.

    John Oster continues his comeback from a knee injury and may once again take his place on the bench after making his first league appearance for three weeks as a substitute in Saturday's 1-1 draw with Coventry.

    Crystal Palace hope to have Jobi McAnuff and Mikele Leigertwood back.

    Winger McAnuff, 23, and 22-year-old midfielder Leigertwood missed the 2-0 win over Hull on Saturday with ankle injuries.

    But striker Dougie Freedman, 31, will not be fit to face the Royals as he is still struggling with a hamstring problem.
    Reading V Crystal Palace
    Top Lge Scorers Goals Tuesday 11/9 @ 8:00pm Top Lge Scorers Goals
    Lita 4 Referee: Brian Curson (Leicestershire) Johnson 5
    Kitson 2 Games: 4   Yellows: 9   Reds: 1 Ward 1
    Convey 2 Last 4 Meetings McAnuff 1
    Little 2 06/03/2004 Palace 2 2 Reading Morrison 1
    Doyle 2 20/12/2003 Reading 0 3 Palace
    Lge Discipline   Y R 15/03/2003 Reading 2 1 Palace Lge Discipline   Y R
    Sidwell 3 0 26/11/2002 Palace 0 1 Reading Hall 3 0
    Little 1 0 Leigertwood 2 0
    Doyle 1 0 Head to Head McaAnuff 1 0
    Kitson 1 0 Reading Draws Burnley Soares 1 0
    Oster 1 0 League 26 17 21 Hughes 1 0
    Lge Goal details:     FA Cup 0 3 3 Lge Goal details:    
    When: F A League Cup 0 0 0 When: F A
    first half 7 2 Total 26 20 24 first half 4 3
    second half 7 2 second half 4 2
    From: League Games Since From:
    open play 10 2 1 a win 0 open play 5 2
    crosses 2 0 0 home win 0 crosses 1 1
    corners 1 1 2 away win 18 corners 0 0
    penalties 1 0 7 a defeat 5 penalties 0 0
    direct from free-kick 2 0 3 home defeat 4 direct from free-kick 0 0
    free-kicks 1 1 4 away defeat 1 free-kicks 2 2
    0 a score draw 4
    Total 14 4 2 a no score draw 9 Total 8 5
    0 conceding a goal 4
    0 scoring a goal 0
    Current Form (last 3 games - all competitions)
    10/09/2005 Coventry Away Drew  1:1   10/09/2005 Hull Home Won  2:0
    29/08/2005 Burnley Home Won  2:1   27/08/2005 Stoke Home Won  2:0
    27/08/2005 Watford Away Drew  0:0   23/08/2005