skip to content

  • Bikey (31), Bikey (79)
  • Zarate (64)
  • Date:2008-03-22
  • Kick-off:15:00
  • Venue:Madejski Stadium
  • Attendance:24085
  • Referee:Riley, M

Live Commentary

90mins

It's finished 2-1 to Reading - a precious three points for the Royals but Birmingham are now in real trouble at the bottom.

88mins

Birmingham are desperately searching for a second equaliser but time is almost up

85mins

Time running out for Birmingham now - a defeat will put them deep in relegation trouble

82mins

Jerome is straight into the action and heads straight at Hahnemann

81mins

Matejovsky is also replaced by Kalifa Cisse

80mins

Jerome is on for Forssell

80mins

The goal was very similar to the opener and Birmingham's poor marking was again exposed

79mins

Bikey does it again to put Reading 2-1 up, heading home from a free-kick

78mins

Ridgewell is booked

76mins

Oster is replaced by Shane Long

73mins

Birmingham are in the ascendancy following the equaliser and look the more likely to win it now

70mins

Forssell turns and shoots but Hahnemann makes a fine save to tip the ball round the post

68mins

It could go either way now after that Zarate equaliser

65mins

McLeish makes a change with McSheffrey replaced by Garry O'Connor

65mins

The Birmingham fans are in fine voice after that equaliser - this could be a precious point for the Blues

64mins

Zarate equalises for Birmingham, tapping the ball home from close range

61mins

Alex McLeish must be pondering whether to make a change with striker Cameron Jerome an option

58mins

Birmingham defend a couple of quick corners from Reading well, still the home side on top

55mins

Birmingham are lacking the penetration at the minute to hurt Reading

52mins

Matejovsky fouls Jaidi but Murphy's free-kick comes to nothing

50mins

Doyle does well down the left and finds Oster but he blasts the ball over - a great chance for Reading to extend their lead

48mins

McSheffrey's cross is cleared by Nicky Shorey but Birmingham have began the half well

47mins

Larsson's corner is cleared away by Dave Kitson

45mins

The second half gets underway with Birmingham in need of an equaliser

45mins

Half-time and Reading lead thanks to Bikey's glancing header

41mins

Ridgwell tests Hahnemann with a decent strike as Blues continue to look for an equaliser

40mins

Heading towards half-time and Reading just about deserve their lead

36mins

McSheffrey's free-kick is well claimed by Hahnemann

34mins

Oster almost makes it 2-0 but Taylor turns his shot over the bar

33mins

Birmingham almost hit back immediately but Forssell drags his shot just wide

31mins

Andre Bikey's glancing header from a John Oster cross puts Reading in front

28mins

Matejovsky has another chance but his header is straight into Taylor's arms

25mins

Marek Matejovsky forces Taylor into a fine low save, it's been an entertaining end-to-end game

24mins

Forssell's header is wide as Birmingham break well again

22mins

Both sides have had chances to score so far but it remains goalless

19mins

Radhi Jaidi heads narrowly over the bar at the other end - lively so far at the Madejski

17mins

The space opened up for Hunt for that shot as Birmingham's defence backed off

16mins

Hunt breaks forward and strikes an effort that clips the top of the bar - the closest to a goal so far

13mins

Kevin Doyle almost gets on the end of a loose ball in the box for Reading but Liam Ridgewell does well to clear

12mins

Sebastian Larsson's cross is caught well by Marcus Hahnemann

9mins

Gary McSheffrey wastes a decent chance for Birmingham, firing just wide

7mins

It's been a tense start to the game with both sides well aware a defeat could be a disaster as they battle to avoid the drop

5mins

David Murphy brings down Liam Rosenior for a Reading free-kick

2mins

Stephen Hunt's cross is very dangerous but Maik Taylor claims it well - Reading have started well though

0mins

It's a crucial game at the bottom of the table at the Madejski Stadium - the action gets underway

0mins

Birmingham bring in Mauro Zarate and Medhi Nafti while James McFadden is out having had keyhole surgery. Reading make just one change with Dave Kitson coming in for Shane Long up front.

Match Preview

Birmingham City travel to Reading on Saturday with just one point separating the sides and the relegation zone looming two points below them.

The Royals have taken six points from their last three games, but wins over Man City and Middlesbrough were followed by a narrow defeat at Liverpool last weekend.

Despite that setback Liam Rosenior and Marek Matejovsky have both spoken out in the past week, stating their belief that Reading will be playing in the Premier League next season.

"Looking at the performance at Liverpool, I'd be surprised if we don't manage to do it. 40 (points) is the aim, then we won't have to rely on favours from anybody else," Rosenior told the official club website this week.

Matejovsky, speaking to CTK, underlined the mood within the squad: "Everyone here is determined to avoid relegation. What I have managed to spot here is that the team is of a quality that should be enough to stay in the Premier League."

Graeme Murty could return to the squad this weekend after recovering from a knee injury, though the same eleven that started against Liverpool are likely to begin the clash with the Blues.

Olivier Kapo and Sebastian Larsson are Birmingham's injured pair and Larsson, who injured his knee in the 1-1 draw with Newcastle last week, has spoken of his desire to make a speedy return to action.

"I hope and believe that it is not serious. We have many important matches coming up," Larsson told sportbladt.

The Blues received good news regarding the ban facing defender Martin Taylor, whose tackle broke Arsenal striker Eduardo's leg last month.

Taylor has served the standard three-game suspension for a straight red card and, despite calls from FIFA to increase that sentence, the FA confirmed this week that Taylor is now free to play.


advertisement

advertisment

Match Report

Two headed goals from central defender Andre Bikey steered Reading to a vital win over Birmingham City.

Victory takes Reading four points clear of the Midlanders in the battle near the foot of the table.

Reading's goals both came from set-pieces and each time Bikey managed to elude Fabrice Muamba before powering headers past Maik Taylor. Bikey had previously scored just one goal this season.

The Cameroon international had given Reading a first-half lead only to see Mauro Matias Zarate equalise after the break, before Bikey added his second 11 minutes from time.

Reading's opening goal came in the 31st minute. Stephen Hunt chased a seemingly lost cause and put pressure on Muamba.

The Birmingham midfielder attempted to hook the ball clear, but referee Mike Riley penalised him for foot up near Hunt's face.

John Oster took the free-kick out on the left wing and Bikey managed to escape from Muamba just long enough to get his head to the ball and nod Reading ahead.

They deserved their lead after having the better of the first half chances, not least when Hunt ended a long run from inside his own half with a shot that hit Birmingham's crossbar.

Reading had created most of the early chances and were particularly dangerous with crosses from each wing, but Birmingham also had their moments.

Gary McSheffrey sent an early free-kick straight at Reading keeper Marcus Hahnemann and then shot wide after Liam Rosenior slipped and left him with a clear sight of goal.

Mikael Forssell also had a chance, but stabbed his effort just wide of the post when he should have been on target.

At half-time spectators watched the bizarre sight of the pitch being watered by the sprinkler system during a torrential hailstorm.

They then saw Reading miss a great chance when Oster jabbed his foot at a cross from Kevin Doyle, sending the ball high over the bar from close range, then have a strong appeal for handball in the penalty area rejected by Mr Riley.

They paid dearly minutes later when Birmingham grabbed an equaliser. Forssell held off Bikey's challenge and crossed into the goalmouth, where Zarate turned the ball in from close range.

Birmingham almost added a second a few minutes later when Forssell was allowed to shoot from what appeared to be an offside position. Fortunately for Reading, Hahnemann made a point-blank save to turn the ball away for a corner.

Reading manager Steve Coppell then went for the win, taking off midfielder Oster and replacing him with striker Shane Long, but it was defender Bikey who went on to win the game for him.

Reading

Birmingham City

Corners

87

Fouls

1615

Goal attempts

1313

Shots off target

46

Offsides

33

facebook twitter rss