Reading FC Match Report: 2025/2026 Season - League One
READING 1 MANSFIELD 1
Reading: J Marriott (71)
Mansfield: T Roberts (7)
Post Match Fans' Opinion
Royal Ginger
» 04 Oct 2025 19:30
Ahmed won’t take anyone on which is frustrating.
Burns has his balls-up but was so busy distributing, he’a getting better.
Savage had flashes of his old self.
Richie’s an angry little man.
It’s all so slow and pointless. Needs stretching a bit.
Old bloke at the end of my row wouldn’t shut up loudly whinging the whole game making it even more tortuous.
yuomi
» 04 Oct 2025 19:35
I really just want to see one 90 minutes that shows me we're improving, but that was definitely wasn't on show today. Mansfield should have had four or five.
ILoveMoonPig
» 04 Oct 2025 19:44
It's frustrating how slow we attack though. Mansfield looked threatening every time they went forward because they attacked with pace, especially down the channels.
We seem to get the ball right up to the final third and then spend a few minutes passing sideways and backwards, giving the opposition plenty of time to get bodies back. Then we can't break through, lose possession and everyone has to charge back up the field. The number of shots and crosses we had blocked was disappointing.
I felt Doyle definitely added some flair to our attack, he seems to be settling in well. I can't fault any particular individual, but we just don't seem to move forward fast enough.
Snowflake Royal
» 04 Oct 2025 20:14
Hunt really doesn't rate Elliot does he?
I would have thought he would come on for Doyle who is yet another player who flatters to deceive.
Fair play to Marriott-at least we now have 2 options for scoring goals, him and Wing.
So in the league that is 2 wins from 10 which the new owners surely weren't expecting.
He gave him a chance and he didn't play well. He's now giving Doyle a chance, and he's playing ok ish. Certainly more involved than Elliott was in his starts.
Elliott isn't really a player you call on for a goal.
Snowflake Royal
» 04 Oct 2025 20:24
Well they hit the underside of the bar and their striker really messed up getting offside for no real reason in that offside goal
And Lane missed an open goal, Wing whistled one just over and MOM fell over through on goal. The shot that hit the underside of the bar wasn't a great opportunity, it could just as easily have gone miles high and wide, like most of their efforts from range.
We do make teams look tidy in midfield and good running at our defence, but to an extent that's just what happens when a high press fails which it will occasionally do even well played very well. Which we aren't currently doing
Hound
» 04 Oct 2025 20:30
Well they hit the underside of the bar and their striker really messed up getting offside for no real reason in that offside goal
And Lane missed an open goal, Wing whistled one just over and MOM fell over through on goal. The shot that hit the underside of the bar wasn't a great opportunity, it could just as easily have gone miles high and wide, like most of their efforts from range.
We do make teams look tidy in midfield and good running at our defence, but to an extent that's just what happens when a high press fails which it will occasionally do even well played very well. Which we aren't currently doing
Yeah my comment was in response to that Mansfield didn’t offer much. They didn’t offer loads but could have had 3 there
We had as many chances as them certainly. I just thought they were more composed and organised generally. Not by a lot mind you. Looked like 2 low end div1 teams
Clyde1998
» 04 Oct 2025 20:55
Mansfield caused us serious problems when they were direct and looked to be progressive with the ball; for much of the game we weren't.
I don't feel there was any consistent intensity in our game until Matt Ritchie came on - that's when we started to cause Mansfield regular problems. As it stands, the sooner Ritchie can get fit enough to start matches, the better.
At least Marriott's in scoring form, as we wouldn't've got a goal today without him or yet another worldie somehow going in.
Royalcop
» 04 Oct 2025 23:05
We weren’t great today, so many individual errors, but I wonder how much the very strong wind impacted us. We seemed to be playing more passes on the ground than usual, Wing especially.
Snowflake Royal
» 05 Oct 2025 10:49
It was certainly in use against Wrexham in the cup. At least according to the commentators
Apparently not in continual use in regular L1 games, though.
My first thought on watching it was in, second thought on replay was it wasn't. At the time I assumed because there was GLT vs Wrexham it would be in L1 games and just assumed it can't have been in because it wasn't given.
Watched the highlights on youtube at .25 speed and paused as it lands. It's not even remotely over the line. Looks on it at most maybe.
RoyalBlue
» 05 Oct 2025 13:41
It was certainly in use against Wrexham in the cup. At least according to the commentators
Apparently not in continual use in regular L1 games, though.
My first thought on watching it was in, second thought on replay was it wasn't. At the time I assumed because there was GLT vs Wrexham it would be in L1 games and just assumed it can't have been in because it wasn't given.
Watched the highlights on youtube at .25 speed and paused as it lands. It's not even remotely over the line. Looks on it at most maybe.
Apparently the EFL in their wisdom (of which they display very little) have decreed that goal line technology is not to be used in L1 & L2 as not all clubs have it installed. Bizarrely they seem to think it would be unfair to use it at some grounds and not others! Surely it is an extension of the officiating team, is completely objective and doesn't favour a home team over an away team any more than having a referee does?!
Anyway, Nigel Clough was unhappy about the lack of goal line technology, even before yesterday's game, I imagine yesterday will have strengthened his view, even though the result of the technology it might have gone either way. I fully agree with his view.
https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/68338210
Royal_jimmy
» 05 Oct 2025 16:05
Didn't look remotely over the line from our seats
We have goal line technology but we're not allowed to use it in league one. Which is stupid really as another poster said it doesn't give anyone an advantage and it makes it more likely that officials will miss a goal. Like the one at Wrexham away last season that wasn't given.
Match Stats
Full Time: 1-1
Half Time: 0-1
Attendance: 12328
Referee: Paul Tierney
[More]
Teams
Reading:
J Pereira, J Dorsett, F Burns, M Jacob, A Ahmed (M Ritchie, 61), L Wing, C Savage, K Doyle (M O'Mahony, 89), P Lane (K Abrefa, 61), D Kyerewaa (K Ehibhatiomhan, 61), J Marriott.
Mansfield:
Bookings / Red Cards
Reading: F Burns, M Ritchie
Mansfield: --
League One on 04 October 2025
This League One game took place 166 days ago in the 2025/2026 season.

