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  • Hunt (44)
  • Date:2007-08-18
  • Kick-off:15:00
  • Venue:Madejski Stadium
  • Attendance:22813
  • Referee:Bennett, S

Live Commentary

90mins

The final whistle blows and Reading have their first win of the new campaign as Mikel Arteta and co. fail to break them down at the Madejski and although they had to weather a late storm they probably deserved the points.

90mins

Hahnemann calms the home supports nerves as he claims Arteta's looping cross from above the head of Johnson.

90mins

Three minutes of added time are to be played.

89mins

Shane Long picks up a late yellow card for time wasting as he prevents Alan Stubbs taking a quick free-kick.

88mins

Arteta has not enjoyed the same quality of game that he has in the first two of the season and you get the feeling he has just wasted Everton's best chance of getting a point.

84mins

Unbelievable! McFadden tricks his way past the defender and chips Hahnemann but hits the angle and it comes for Johnson who misses his first kick but Arteta is there and it smashes back off the post and away.

83mins

Oster is returning to the action and Reading will need him to be able to hold out this Everton attack that will throw everything at them in the closing stages.

82mins

James McFadden has been booked for diving after going down too easily under a challenge from Ingimarsson.

81mins

Reading may well have to finish another game with 10 men as Oster is down injured only minutes after coming on as a substitute.

80mins

Everton have their ninth corner of the game, but yet again the delivery is poor and they fail to make the most of the set-piece.

79mins

Bobby Convey will be Reading's final change as he replaces the ever industrious Hunt on the left side of the midfield.

76mins

In fact, referee Bennett has deemed Ingimarsson's challenge a foul and has also booked the Icelander.

75mins

Shorey strikes it from long range but Lescott blocks it and Stubbs tries to cushion it back to Howard and in goes Ingimarsson but the American goalkeeper is there in the nick of time.

74mins

Lescott is booked for a foul on Shane Long as the striker tried to break.

73mins

Reading are still having to weather a storm and they might need to show something in attack before Everton just set-up camp on the edge of Hahnemann's penalty area.

71mins

A change for Reading as Seol is down injured and will have to be replaced by John Oster, a shame for the Korean who had impressed but a chance for Oster to show his worth.

68mins

Reading are finding it difficult to get out of their own half at the moment as everytime the ball is cleared it comes straight back into the box.

66mins

David Moyes is making another change as James McFadden replaces Tony Hibbert, and Phil Neville will go to right back and Osman back into midfield.

63mins

The game has hit a lull at the moment and both teams are struggling to get a move of any great substance going.

59mins

Osman somehow gets above Bikey to flick the ball on for Johnson but he is forced wider and wider and eventually the angle is too acute for him to get it on target.

57mins

Anichebe has been struggling over the last few minutes with a knock and he is going to be replaced by Steven Pienaar and Leon Osman will go up front.

56mins

Hunt again picking up a Seol cross at the back post but this time he elects to lay it back for Gunnarsson to strike but Lescott and Neville fling themselves in the way to block.

53mins

It is still end to end and although there are few clear cut chances on offer so far, the effort is there and both sides final ball is just lacking.

51mins

Arteta's delivery has been poor so far but he has another chance here and this one is better and Bikey almost heads into his own net but it is only a corner.

49mins

A half chance for Johnson too now as he fires from the corner of the box but it deflects off the back of Bikey and drops into the arms of Hahnemann.

48mins

A lively start to the second period as Doyle has had another half chance on the turn but Everton have also started pretty well again.

45mins

The second half is underway and Everton will be hoping to get themselves back on terms quickly but Reading will be hoping to avoid the second half collapse of midweek.

45mins

Stephen Hunt gave a dramatic end to the half with the opening goal and Reading are probably value for their lead but Everton are still definitely in the game at the break.

44mins

Seol crosses in from the right and in comes Hunt at the back post and he brings it down well and blasts the ball beyond Howard to make it 1-0.

42mins

Anichebe has been good so far today when he has had the chance to get on the ball and now he finds Osman who fires it, but just over the bar.

38mins

Arteta uses his pace and skill to drive at De La Cruz and beats him, now into Johnson but the England man can't bring the ball under control and Reading can break with Doyle.

35mins

Graeme Murty has picked up a knock at some point and is going to have to be replaced by Ulises De La Cruz at full back.

32mins

Arteta lifts the free-kick into Hahnemann and he finds Seol and Long now on the break and the cross is aimed at Doyle but once more it is a fraction too high.

29mins

Murty gets into the last third and finds Doyle who looks for Hunt at the back post but he can't quite get to it but in comes Long and Stubbs has to block.

26mins

Seol intercepts Neville's pass and finds Huint who bursts through the middle and spreads it wide to Doyle who the whips it back across the box for Hunt, but the Irishman is just inches from making a decisive connection as it goes out for a throw.

24mins

Bikey strides purposefully into the Everton half and sees Doyle's run and it is slightly behind him but he gets the shot on target adn Howard again makes a good save to deny him.

22mins

Anichebe brings the ball down well on the edge of the box and Ingimarsson slips at the crucial moment and Anichebe looks for Osman but Shorey is back to concede a corner.

19mins

Reading have a free-kick in a dangerous position, Harper delivers but its not a good one and eventually the ball drops to Long on the corner of the box who drives the shot in and the fans want handball against Lescott but its only a corner.

15mins

It is real end-to-end stuff here at the Madejski as Reading break and Doyle is found by Long and he tries to curl one from the edge of the box and Howard is forced into a decent stop.

14mins

Hibbert once more runs at Shorey and is able to get the ball in and Johnson picks it up at the near post and turns Bikey and now looks for Anichebe who tries to curl it into the corner but it creeps wide.

12mins

Hibbert does well to beat Shorey and his cross finds Arteta coming in at the back post an he fakes to shoot and finds Johnson who leans back and blazes over the bar.

10mins

Hunt gets a second chance as the corner comes back his way and he drives it low across the six-yard box and it evades everybody somehow, including Tim Howard who was left grasping at thin air.

9mins

Seol has started impressively for Reading as he beats Lescott on the right wing and his cross is mised by everyone but Hunt picks it up and delivers it in well and its another corner.

8mins

Bikey rises to meet Hunt's corner and heads it goalwards and Howard is grateful that the ball bounces nicely into his grasp.

7mins

Harper releases Seol in behind Nuno Valente and the Korean get to the byline and crosses to the near post where Doyle is waiting and Howard tips it over the bar.

4mins

Everton now on the attack as Johnson and Osman combine and Johnson looks to pull it back for Anichebe but Shorey gets the block in and its a corner.

1mins

Reading made a good start against Chelsea in midweek and they are doing the same here as Hunt twice has chances to cross but Lescott and Stubbs hold firm and Arteta is able to bring it away.

0mins

Steve Bennett had a controversial game at Fratton Park in midweek and will be hoping for a slightly easier afternoon as he gets the game underway.

0mins

Everton: Howard, Hibbert, Lescott, Stubbs, Nuno Valente, Osman, Carsley, Neville, Arteta, Anichebe, Johnson

0mins

Reading: Hahnemann, Murty, Ingimarsson, Bikey, Shorey, Ki-Hyeon, Harper, Gunnarsson, Hunt, Doyle, Long

0mins

David Moyes meanwhile makes just the one change from the 3-1 win at White Hart lane in midweek as Nuno Valente replaces Joseph Yobo, meaning Joleon Lescott moves into the centre of defence alongside Alan Stubbs.

0mins

Steve Coppell makes two enforced changes as the suspended Kalifa Cisse and injured Michael Duberry are out with Brynjar Gunnarsson and Andre Bikey coming in, while Seol Ki-Hyeon is favoured to John Oster on the right wing.

0mins

We are awaiting kick off here at the Madejski with Royals fans looking forward to another tough match at the start of the season as David Moyes brings his Everton side to Berkshire.

Match Preview

Reading's demanding start to the new Premier League campaign continues with the visit of Everton to the Madejski Stadium.

The Royals have already faced champions Manchester United and last season's runners-up Chelsea during a testing opening few days of the campaign.

Steve Coppell's side followed up their creditable goalless draw at Old Trafford last Sunday with a narrow 2-1 defeat to Chelsea on Wednesday.

The Royals took the lead through an unlikely source in Andre Bikey, but conceded twice in quick succession and then had new £600,000 signing Kalifa Cisse dismissed for two yellow cards.

Cisse will miss the visit of Everton as he serves a one-match ban, but Coppell has been boosted by the return to contention of midfielders Bobby Convey and Emerse Fae from injury.

Kevin Doyle looks set to play a lone striker role as Reading are short of options in attack.

Dave Kitson remains suspended following his red card against Manchester United, while England Under-21 hot-shot Leroy Lita is still troubled by the leg injury suffered on the eve of the new season.

Everton boss David Moyes is set to name an unchanged starting line-up for the third successive game of the fledgling campaign.

New £6million signing Leighton Baines (hamstring) will not be rushed into making his debut and will remain on the sidelines along with Tim Cahill (foot), James Vaughan (ankle) and James McFadden.

Their early season form - which includes an opening day 2-1 victory over Wigan Athletic and Tuesday's impressive 3-1 success against Tottenham Hotspur – means fully-fit £4million summer signing Phil Jagielka is also still waiting to make his competitive debut.

Joleon Lescott, Leon Osman and Alan Stubbs were on the mark at White Hart Lane as the Toffees cruised to a second successive victory which moved them to the top of the Premier League table.

Elsewhere, Everton continue to be linked with a move for unsettled Middlesbrough striker Aiyegbeni Yakubu, but with no deal imminent Victor Anichebe will continue to partner Andrew Johnson in attack.


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Match Report

Stephen Hunt's well-taken goal on the stroke of half-time secured Reading their first Premier League win of the season and inflicted an opening defeat on Everton.

Hunt, who put the nightmares of his clash with Petr Cech behind him in a man-of-the match display against Chelsea in midweek, was Reading's hero in a tight game against David Moyes' UEFA Cup qualifiers.

He made the breakthrough right on half-time, ghosting in to space in the penalty area and flicking a neat finish beyond Tim Howard in Everton's goal.

After holding champions Manchester United to a creditable draw at Old Trafford and then narrowly losing out to Chelsea in midweek, Reading's start to the season hardly got any easier with the visit of early Premier League pacesetters Everton.

The Toffees came to the Madejski Stadium on a high after back-to-back wins as they looked for a repeat of their 2-0 win in the corresponding fixture last season.

And they looked destined to make an early breakthrough when Mikel Arteta pulled the ball back for Andy Johnson eight yards out, only for Andre Bikey to make a brave block and save a certain goal.

But, that 11th minute scare aside, it was Reading who dominated the first half, though they rarely threatened Howard's goal.

Kevin Doyle did force the American keeper to stretch himself and the home side were unfortunate not to win a penalty when Joleon Lescott appeared to lean into Shane Long's deflected cross shot.

But the home side made a deserved breakthrough on the stroke of half-time when substitute Ulises De la Cruz's throw saw Doyle out-muscle Alan Stubbs, allowing Hunt to run into the space behind and control neatly with his thigh before angling a shot beyond the reach of Howard.

The tight exchanges continued in the second half with Reading dominating possession but struggling to create any real clear-cut chances.

Everton found openings even harder to come by, though they were nearly gifted an equaliser was when Marcus Hahnemann punched an Arteta free-kick against Bikey and was relieved to see the defender keep his cool and stroke the ball to safety.

Hahnemann did well to beat away a fierce cross shot from substitute Steven Pienaar and, when the keeper was beaten late on, he was grateful to see his woodwork twice come to the rescue.

James McFadden, moments after being booked for a ludicrously ambitious dive in the penalty area, bent a clever effort beyond the keeper but against the frame of the goal.

Johnson was on to the rebound in a flash but saw his first effort blocked by Hahnemann and then the rebound bounce back off the post again as the striker wasted the best chance yet to snatch a point and open his account for the season.

Reading

Everton

Corners

412

Fouls

148

Goal attempts

1013

Shots off target

56

Offsides

32

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