When : Wednesday 19th April 2023, 8pm
Where : SCL Stadium, Reading, RG2 0FL
Capacity : 24,161
Well after the elation of getting a point off Burnley and stopping them breaking THE record comes a return to normality and it doesn’t come too much harder than the Hatters at the moment. Noel has had his first game now and though looking like he might know what he’s doing, this time the crowd is likely to need more persuading for what will be a very hard evening.
Luton are rather good again - all those thinking they’re not really all that need to think again you don’t sit in the play off positions for two successive seasons because you’re cr@p or lucky so this is going to probably be as big a test as the visit of Burnley, especially as Reading haven’t managed to score against Luton in any of the last 4 league games (and struggling to even recall an on target shot for Reading in that time but there must have been one). So another very big ask of the players and also of the fans!
It’s been 7 wins and 3 draws since Luton last lost a game and that was against Burnley. In those 10 games the Hatters have turned Sheffield United over at Bramall Lane, comfortably beaten most of the struggling sides and conceded just 1 in the last 4 so Noel and Eddie have a job on their hands to devise something to get the points in this one.
The threats are posed by Elijah Adebayo and particularly Carlton Morris who have hit 25 goals between them so far. Henri Lansbury can be a real pain if he turns up and the former Reading threat is offered by Gabriel Osho.
Jack Walton and Dan Potts are missing for Luton while Reading’s meagre squad will be hoping no-one new has gone down with injury after Saturday’s exertions.
This is a very important game, really need those travelling to it to be 100% behind the team and as positive as possible as that will find it’s way to the players and help lift them further which is absolutely vital given the state of health in the overall squad.
The other games to note this midweek are : Watford v Cardiff and QPR v Norwich on the same evening while on Tuesday Rotherham host Burnley and Huddersfield and Wigan travel to Stoke and Sunderland respectively.
Referee
Tim “4 Reading defeats in a row” Robinson
Previously
16 Dec 22 > Birmingham City 3-2 Reading
15 Oct 22 > Reading 0-2 West Bromwich Albion
23 Apr 22 > Hull City 3-0 Reading
19 Jan 22 > Reading 0-2 Luton Town
18 Sep 21 Reading 3-1 Peterborough United
06 Feb 21 > Stoke City 0-0 Reading
09 Dec 20 > Reading 1-2 Birmingham City
19 Sep 20 > Reading 2-0 Barnsley
18 Jul 20 > Blackburn Rovers 4-3 Reading
07 Dec 19 > Reading 2-3 Birmingham City
06 Apr 19 > Hull City 3-1 Reading
01 Jan 19 > Reading 1-4 Swansea City
19 Sep 18 > Reading 1-2 Norwich City
16 Jan 18 > Reading 3-0 Stevenage (FA Cup 3)
30 Sep 17 > Reading 1-2 Norwich City
29 Apr 17 > Reading 1-0 Wigan Athletic
01 Oct 16 > Reading 1-1 Derby County
02 Feb 16 > Ipswich Town 2-1 Reading
21 Sep 13 > Derby County 1-3 Reading
Historically
Only 25 league seasons have been shared with Luton as although a similar style of provincial club they have spent a couple of lengthy periods circulating in the first and second divisions while Reading were successfully trying to avoid any appearance of ambition.
Of the previous 25 league games played in Reading 15 have been won by the hoops with 6 going the way of the hats (including last season’s non event of a 2-0 defeat) leaving 4 draws.
How to follow the game
- Get a ticket and go
- Listen to Radio 5 Live and/or a myriad of other radio stations for score flashes
- Ring/text a mate for updates
- Use a RoyalTV subscription
- BBC Radio Berkshire (FM : 104.4, 104.1 or 95.4 depending where you are in the area)
- Red button
