MATCH REPORT: 2008/2009 Season

13 April 2009: LEAGUE CHAMPIONSHIP
BLACKPOOL 2 READING 2
goals
Reading: Noel Hunt (10 mins), Karacan (24 mins).
Blackpool: Southern (31 mins), Campbell (66 mins).
Half Time: 1-2
Attendance: 7,722

CHAMPIONSHIP 13 Apr 2009
Pos Team P Pts GD
3 Sheff Utd 43 76 +25
4 Cardiff 42 73 +22
5 READING 42 70 +29
6 Burnley 43 69 +7
teams
Reading: Hahnemann, Kelly, Duberry, Bikey, Armstrong, Kebe (Kitson 69), Karacan, Tabb, Stephen Hunt, Noel Hunt, Long (Little 79). Subs Not Used: Federici, Pearce, Matejovsky.
Blackpool: Rachubka, Baptiste, Barker, Edwards, Crainey, O'Donovan (Jorgensen 87), Southern, Adam, Vaughan, Campbell, Hughes (Ormerod 84). Subs Not Used: Gilks, Walton, McPhee.
bookings
Reading: Karacan, Noel Hunt.
Blackpool: Baptiste.
Ref: Kevin Wright (Cambridgeshire).
report
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FANS' POST MATCH OPINION

Well well, the weekend proved as bad as I thought it would - well not quite, we got a point. I've given up hope, some of the players seem to have given up. From now on in, I would "rest" the big players and give the youngsters a chance. If we do make the play offs, we might have a Plan B or the "stars" might have benefited from a rest. What is perfectly clear, is that persisting with the First XI is getting us nowhere fast. Too many are not on form, Steve Hunt would be an example, so give them and us a break. And on the basis that in all likelihood we'll be in the same league next season, we'll get a good look at what will be left post the clear out. Many have said that let's not forget the bad times and put this current debacle into perspective. A fair point but for me the frustration over the past two years is the unfulfilled potential, what might have been and the club's lack of response to what's been a downward slide. Starting from scratch next season might see further deterioration, it's certainly going to be high risk.
Nick Tilehurst

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QUOTES FROM THE PRESS

Reading spurned a two-goal advantage as Blackpool claimed a useful point. The Royals had already seen a chance go begging when Noel Hunt headed in a corner from his brother Stephen. From a Blackpool corner Reading broke and Hunt was denied a second when his header was pushed onto the bar, but Jem Karacan fired in a close-range rebound. However Alex Baptiste crossed for Keith Southern to score from six yards and after the break the comeback was sealed as DJ Campbell scored from a rebound.
Reading manager Steve Coppell:
"We need to be mentally strong. We are making too many mistakes. Today's draw in reality feels a lot like a defeat when you consider we were looking comfortable at 2-0 up. For two thirds of this season we have looked one of the strongest sides in the Championship and with four games to go we must get strong again."

BBC Sport