When : Tuesday January 27, 8pm
Where : SCL Stadium, Reading, RG2 0FL
Capacity : 24,161
After yet another disappointing Barnsley game Reading have come adrift a little in the chase for the play offs (13th now and 6 points off them) so just what you want to try and begin a remedy to the situation is another difficult home game with the in form Grecians visiting from Exeter.
Thanks to Reading’s slump in form, Exeter (10th) are now ahead of Reading in the table thanks to a +5 better GD. The Grecians are possibly the current form team of the division with 4 wins and a draw from their last 5 league games. They have crashed out of the FA Cup, during that run though, by a score of 10-1 at Man City Reserves so there are weaknesses there to be had if you’ve done the right homework.
This season they have demolished Wycombe and Barnsley at home and beaten Wimbledon home and away as well as getting a point at Huddersfield and defeating Lincoln at Sincil Bank so this opponent is more than capable of causing trouble if you let them.
Given the number of occasions Reading play teams in this division that have former Reading players I am starting to think it’s a Football League requirement. Exeter have 2 former players and both are likely to be involved. First there’s the Grecians’ leading scorer, with 13 goals across all competitions, Jayden Wareham then there’s former defender Pierce Sweeney marshalling the defence (as well as being the captain). So no doubt that’ll be one who’s right up for it and needing no assistance to score at one end of the pitch and another, in a similar vein of form, to help keep a clean sheet at the other. The other major issues to keep under control will be Northern Ireland international striker Josh Magennis and Bolton loanee Carlos Mendes-Gomez both of whom are rather handy around the penalty box, however Magennis should be well known to Leam given he signed him for Wigan back in 2022.
Exeter tend to play a 4-3-1-2 formation. They have been fairly quiet in this transfer window with their only changes so far being Aston Villa’s recall of Sil Swinkels and the loan acquisition of Ukrainian youth international winger Tymur Tutierov from Sunderland - and he has scored twice in two games for Exeter since joining last week.
Hopefully both Williams will be back in the fray after injury while the new faces of Keane, Nyambe and Roberts will be a little more settled in and able to show even more of what they can do.
Referee
Charles Breakspear
Previously
08 Mar 25 > Crawley Town 1-1 Reading
20 Mar 24 > Derby County 2-1 Reading
28 Nov 23 > Reading 5-1 Carlisle United
Historically
Of the 43 previous home league games against Exeter, Reading have won on 32 occasions and lost just 4 so this theoretically should be as nailed on a home win as it is possible to get. However, as we know from Reading’s past history, this sort of situation doesn’t always run smooth. Since relegation this fixture has seen Reading just scraped home by 3-2 followed by last year’s insipid 0-0, let’s hope this recent possible trend gets bucked on this occasion.
How to follow the game
- Get a ticket and travel to the Mad Stad
- Listen to Radio 5 Live and/or a myriad of other radio stations for score flashes
- SKY Red button/NOW app
- 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)
Other games for teams around Reading on Tuesday
Huddersfield (6th) v Luton (7th)
Peterborough (9th) v Stevenage (8th)
Plymouth (14th) v Mansfield (11th)
Wycombe (12th) v Wigan (19th)
