MATCHWATCH : Swindon Town (a)

[Sutekh]

When : Tuesday 2nd September 2025, 7pm
Where : County Ground, County Road, Swindon, SN1 2ED
Capacity : 15,728

The Vertu is back and it's derby time again. First trip to Swindon since the famous Valentine’s Day goalless draw back in 2002. Now there’s a division between the teams and Reading will be facing a side riding high in League Two though both managers are likely to field teams containing a mix of youth and players needing a bit of game time.

Swindon have brought in Ollie Palmer from Wrexham and Billy Bodin from Burton over the summer but given the nature of the competition at this stage it may well be the town youngsters that take pole position. Reading have outstanding youngsters plus Marriott and Ritchie needing some game time before things get serious again at Barnsley on Saturday week.

Referee

Sam Mulhall

Previously

Nothing

Historically

A visit to Swindon isn't usually very good for Reading given there have been 24 defeats at the County Ground in 49 attempts. There have been just 8 Reading victories there since hostilities started way back in 1920 and Reading have lost every cup game played in this part of Wiltshire (albeit only 2 FA Cup ties; a 4-2 loss in November 1962 and a 4-0 stuffing back in January 1975).

How to follow the game

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2. Now app/Red button
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4. Use a RoyalsTV subscription
5. BBC Radio Berkshire (FM : 104.4, 104.1 or 95.4 depending where you are in the area)

[Snowflake Royal]

Could play a strong side with Northampton called off, but think it's still best to change it up and get as much playing time across the wider squad as possible, and its a big squad.

.......................Stevens
Abrefa, Stickland, Dorsett, Ritchie
.......................Fraser
................Doyle, Borgnis*
..Garcia............................ Kyerewaa
......................Marriott

*definitely won't be him, but I'm not convinced by Sackey and Rushesha struggled against Wimbledon.

[Mid Sussex Royal]

Could play a strong side with Northampton called off, but think it's still best to change it up and get as much playing time across the wider squad as possible, and its a big squad.

.......................Stevens
Abrefa, Stickland, Dorsett, Ritchie
.......................Fraser
................Doyle, Borgnis*
..Garcia............................ Camara
......................Marriott

*definitely won't be him, but I'm not convinced by Sackey and Rushesha struggled against Wimbledon.

Camara is on international duty

[Snowflake Royal]

Ta.

[bakerlou]

...since the famous Valentine’s Day goalless draw back in 2002

Poured with rain onto the uncovered away end?
Live on ITV Digital?

If so, I remember that, and also the carnage that I stepped into on arriving home having missed a romantic evening with Mrs b

[Mid Sussex Royal]

...since the famous Valentine’s Day goalless draw back in 2002

Poured with rain onto the uncovered away end?
Live on ITV Digital?

If so, I remember that, and also the carnage that I stepped into on arriving home having missed a romantic evening with Mrs b

Yep they went bust soon after....Thurs night I think. We were hammered by Zamora & Hove at a very wet Withdean on the Monday.

[Clyde1998]

Based on what I can work out, our list of qualifying players for this game (as a reminder: we need to play four of these players and we can play any goalkeeper; players in grey qualified through a previous category):

1. Started 40+ senior matches (15): Ritchie (515); Yiadom (489); Williams (392); O'Connor (328); Marriott (277); Wing (271); Lane (116); Fraser (113); Dorsett (97); Savage (92); Ehibhatiomhan (64); Burns (51); Jacob (42); Kyerewaa (41); Elliott (40)
2. On loan from a Premier League or EFL Cat 1 academy (2): Burns; Doyle; O'Mahony
3. Top ten most starts (all comps) this season (3): Burns (7); Wing (6); Savage (6); Kyerewaa (5); O'Mahony (5); Stickland (5); Fraser (4); Jacob (4); Abrefa (4); Ahmed (4)
4. Started the previous match (0): Ahmed; Burns; Williams; Jacob; Elliott; Wing; Savage; Lane; Kyerewaa; O'Mahony
5. Started the next match (?): N/A

Overall (20): Abrefa; Ahmed; Burns; Dorsett; Doyle; Ehibhatiomhan; Elliott; Fraser; Jacob; Kyerewaa; Lane; Marriott; O'Connor; O'Mahony; Ritchie; Savage; Stickland; Williams; Wing; Yiadom

Much more choice than in any of our previous two seasons - often not far from ten and that was before considering any injuries or players away on international duty. There was at least one game last season(?) where we started two players who came off at half-time to meet the qualifying player rule; shouldn't have an issue this season.

Nine of our eleven outfield signings qualify through making forty or more senior starts, with the other two qualifying due to being on loan from a Premier League/Category One academy. Jacob, Kyerewaa and Elliott have crossed the forty starts barrier this season; Elliott by starting the previous match.

[Clyde1998]

Depending on player availability, I'd consider a side similar to our League Cup teams:

Stevens
Abrefa - Stickland - Dorsett - Ryan
Doyle - Fraser - Rushesha
Garcia - Marriott - Ritchie*

This would especially be the case given we no longer have a game on Saturday, just keep our players ticking over with minutes.

[tidus_mi2]

Gonna smash 'em again.

[Hound]

Not been paying loads of attention but did i see MoM has been called il to ROI U21? Does that mean he isn’t available?

Prob give Marriott the start anyway. Otherwise yeah basically what others are saying. Prob give Rushesha another go though he was poor the other day

[Clyde1998]

Not been paying loads of attention but did i see MoM has been called il to ROI U21? Does that mean he isn’t available?

Prob give Marriott the start anyway. Otherwise yeah basically what others are saying. Prob give Rushesha another go though he was poor the other day

He'll be off by then - Ireland U21s play their first game on the Thursday evening.

[Clyde1998]

Got to be winning this, especially with the relative squad depth we now have. Will be interesting to see what the balance between first team fringe players and youngsters is though, as this competition is the best opportunity for those young players to come through.

[skipper]

Swindon currently have Princeton Ehibhatiomhan on loan from Southampton, so we could see the brothers go head to head!

Kinda exciting that.

And of course Matt Richie is a former Robin too. Could be his debut back at the country ground? Loads going on in this match!

They have started the league well, and won't be the drubbing we gave them last time!

[Sutekh]

Swindon currently have Princeton Ehibhatiomhan on loan from Southampton, so we could see the brothers go head to head!

Kinda exciting that.

And of course Matt Richie is a former Robin too. Could be his debut back at the country ground? Loads going on in this match!

They have started the league well, and won't be the drubbing we gave them last time!

Kelvin’s three week prognosis is not up until next week so sadly not much chance of seeing them both on the pitch tomorrow.

[Extended-Phenotype]

Defs give Marriott and Ritchie a start. Garcia could feel a bit hard done by being dropped, so start him too.

[Esteban]

Swindon currently have Princeton Ehibhatiomhan on loan from Southampton, so we could see the brothers go head to head!

Kinda exciting that.

And of course Matt Richie is a former Robin too. Could be his debut back at the country ground? Loads going on in this match!

They have started the league well, and won't be the drubbing we gave them last time!

Kelvin’s three week prognosis is not up until next week so sadly not much chance of seeing them both on the pitch tomorrow.

Bumped into Kelvin on the way out of the stadium complex on Saturday. He said he'll be back for the next league game, so he won't be involved tomorrow. Shame for him and his family.

[Esteban]

Defs give Marriott and Ritchie a start. Garcia could feel a bit hard done by being dropped, so start him too.

Yeah, agree with this. Would probably go:

Stevens

Abrefa (unless he's injured?)
Stickland
Burns
Ryan

Fraser
Rushesha
Sackey

Garcia
Marriott
Ritchie

Should have more than enough to win.

[rabidbee]

If Doyle can't get into the starting XI in the league, shouldn't we play him here? If he picked up a goal or two), that could be a good boost.

[Fox Talbot]

[quote="Sutekh"]

When : Tuesday 2nd September 2025, 7pm
Where : County Ground, County Road, Swindon, SN1 2ED
Capacity :

A visit to Swindon isn't usually very good for Reading given there have been 24 defeats at the County Ground in 49 attempts. There have been just 8 Reading victories there since hostilities started way back in 1920 and Reading have lost every cup game played in this part of Wiltshire (albeit only 2 FA Cup ties; a 4-2 loss in November 1962 and a 4-0 stuffing back in January 1975).

[b]H

Went to the 0-4 , it was Nov 1974, obvs miserable. We were doing well at the time, recently gave Div 1 Burnley a close game but got hammered here. Only thing I recall is Robin Friday having a severe asthma attack or whatever on half way line and going off.

I’m sure we’ve won at Swindon in FA Cup. 1893?

[Snowflake Royal]

If Doyle can't get into the starting XI in the league, shouldn't we play him here? If he picked up a goal or two), that could be a good boost.

Absolutely