MATCH REPORT: 2007/2008 Season

15 December 2007: FA PREMIER LEAGUE
BIRMINGHAM CITY 1 READING 1
goals
Reading: Hunt (49 mins, pen).
Birmingham: Forssell (3 mins).
Half Time: 1-0
Attendance: 27,300

PREMIERSHIP 15 Dec 2007
Pos Team P Pts GD
12 Tottenham 17 18 0
13 READING 17 18 -12
14 Middlebrough 17 17 -12
teams
Reading: Hahnemann, Murty, Sonko, Ingimarsson, Shorey, Hunt, Harper, Gunnarsson (Cisse 28), Convey (Long 84), Doyle, Kitson. Subs Not Used: Federici, Lita, Bikey.
Birmingham: Maik Taylor, Kelly, Schmitz, Ridgewell, Sadler, Larsson, Johnson, Muamba, McSheffrey, Forssell (O'Connor 75), Jerome. Subs Not Used: Doyle, De Ridder, Parnaby, Jaidi.
bookings
Reading: Murty
Birmingham: Johnson, Ridgewell.
Ref: Lee Probert (Wiltshire).
report
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FANS' POST MATCH OPINION

A match full of effort and commitment but just lacking that bit of class or magic. We started the better although we were our own worst enemies as we failed to deal with a corner. The reaction was to look at the keeper and if it was his fault through indecision he more than made up for it in the second half with some terrific saves. I thought we played marginally the better football but like so many sides they looked stronger than us. Towards the end of the game Long had a glorious chance to win it but tried to finish too quickly and in fairness he probably did not realise how much time he had. At least it was another away point and if we get three next week, it will have been a good run.
Ken C

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QUOTES FROM THE PRESS

Birmingham boss Alex McLeish had to be content with a point after his side let slip a one-goal lead against Reading. Striker Mikael Forssell opened the scoring, bundling the ball home from close range after only four minutes. Reading equalised minutes after the break when Stephen Hunt scored from the spot after keeper Maik Taylor had brought down the midfielder... As the game wore on Jerome continued to create chances for himself and he was unlucky to see his header superbly kept out by Hahnemann from close range. Birmingham captain Liam Ridgewell was fortunate to stay on the field after he was only given a yellow card for a late, two-footed lunge on Reading midfielder Bobby Convey. The Blues then hit the woodwork twice in a matter of seconds after McSheffrey hit the crossbar before Sonko's clearance off the line hit the bar. Despite Birmingham's second-half pressure it was Reading who nearly stole all three points, but Hunt side-footed wide late on.
The BBC