MATCH REPORT: 2004/2005 Season

30 October 2004: LEAGUE CHAMPIONSHIP
COVENTRY CITY 3 READING 2
goals
Reading: Owusu (11 mins), Kitson (71 mins).
Coventry:
John (14 mins, pen), Morrell (51 mins), Johnson (66 mins).
Half Time: 1-1
Attendance: 13,663

CHAMPIONSHIP 30 Oct 2004
Pos Team P Pts GD
2 Ipswich 16 30 +11
3 READING 16 30 +10
4 QPR 16 29 +6
teams
Reading: Hahnemann, Murty, Sonko, Ingimarsson, Shorey, Little, Sidwell, Harper, Brooker (Convey 58), Kitson, Owusu. Subs Not Used: Young, Hughes, Morgan, Newman.
Coventry: Steele, Carey, Leacock, Laville, Giddings, Morrell, Doyle, Hughes, Ricketts (Deloumeaux 80), Johnson (McSheffrey 84), John (Suffo 45). Subs Not Used: Shearer, Shaw.
bookings
Reading: -
Coventry:
Carey.
Referee: G Salisbury (Lancashire).
report

Coventry put an end to Reading's eight game unbeaten run in the league as they picked up only their fourth win of the season on Saturday. Reading's 2-3 defeat saw them drop to third in the table as Ipswich reclaimed second place. Reading got off to a good start and looked like they were well capable of continuing the excellent league run - Owusu put the Royals ahead after just eleven minutes from a Glen Little cross. However, the home side were quickly back on level terms when Steve Sidwell gave away a penalty that was driven home within the quarter of an hour mark. After the half time break a Reading collapse saw the game effectively won for the home side as they scored two goals - the second game just five minutes into the half with a powerful shot from distance and it was 1-3 just after the hour mark. Reading worked hard to get back into the game but could manage just the one to bring the scores closer when Kitson scored from close range.


FANS' POST MATCH OPINION

Very disappointed but philosophical. We are not going to win every game, we're going to lose more games this season especially away from home, but after going one up early on and playing really well, it's bitterly disappointing to come away with nothing. Reading started so well oozing confidence as we knocked the ball about and Little should have scored after one minute missing from a yard out. The Reading goal was well worked then it was all downhill as Coventry came back strongly following a very dodgy penalty having seen it on TV. Kitson looked very flat and maybe was carrying a knock, yet more reason for Coppell to be signing a striker maybe on loan to boost us up front. Little had a game of two halves, first half he played really well always looking dangerous and second half you'd have never known he was on the pitch. We made Coventry look good, they were poor and were there for the taking, unfortunately we never took the initiative. Poor Shorey had a bit of a mare and was very much at fault for Coventry's second goal but he's more than made up for one mistake with other good games this season. It's looks like Ade Williams is going to sign for Coventry, well good luck Ade, you owe us nothing and go with every decent Reading fans best wishes. As it is I think we've found a perfect replacement in Sonko. He goes from strength to strength and should prove a great signing by Coppell. Have said before any result away from home is a good one so I look at it as only dropping one point, a win at Plymouth would be a great bonus and put us well back in the hunt, still early days. Finally, when Coventry scored their third there was nearly 25 minutes to go, at that point a large gang of so called Reading fans got up and left the ground. These are not Reading fans. There was a tremendous turn out by the Reading fans yesterday, and 99% of them are great people and true fans. That lot who wear their out of fashion check caps are nothing to do with Reading Football club, they are pathetic at the game only to cause trouble and should be identified and banned from the Madejski. Doubt if they'll be at Plymouth, it'll be past their bedtime.
Nick Newbury

We must learn from this perfomance especially the second half! Coventry desperately needed this win and Adie will be seen as a good signing for them. They are a big club in our Division and the fact that they put 3 past us will give them a platform to progress but does nothing for our promotion push. We must bounce back from this and our strikers must be more positive in front of goal. Having watched Wigan win away I am far from convinced there is an outstanding team in this Division and we must take heart from this and hold our position at least.
Terry, Isle of Wight.

At 1-0, someone sat behind me said to their friend that they'd not seen Reading dominating a game so much for ages. "Don't say that", says their friend "or something is bound to go wrong". 30 seconds later, Reading conceded the first of 3 very soft goals & became a shadow of the team that had gone 1-0 up earlier in the game. This was a very, very poor showing. The polite word I would use to describe the performance was lazy & complacent. Too many players were sloppy & wasteful in possession & a workman-like (at best!) Coventry side were allowed what was in fact a pretty comfortable win despite Kitson grabbing a 2nd goal later on. The only player I can think of to possibly emerge with any credit from this dire spectacle was Convey who, when he came on, actually began to show us something of why the club shelled out for him in the summer. But as for the rest.....well the less said the better. Reading, with the exception of last season's battling win at Highfield Road, seem to save many of their most inept performances for this extremely average midlands outfit. BIG IMPROVEMENTS needed all round for Stoke, who'll be aiming for revenge next Sat.
Caversham Royal

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