• Date: Sat 08 March 2008
  • Venue: Madejski Stadium
  • Ref: Rennie, U
  • Attendance: 24,062
Reading

Reading

Long (62)

Kitson (88)

2 - 0

Reading vs Manchester City

Team Lineups

Reading

Marcus Hahnemann
Liam Rosenior
Ivar Ingimarsson
Andre Bikey
Nicky Shorey
Stephen Hunt
John Oster
Marek Matejovsky (Kalifa Cisse, 79)
James Harper
Kevin Doyle
Shane Long (Dave Kitson, 82)

Manchester City

Joe Hart
Javier Garrido
Michael Ball
Richard Dunne (Sun Jihai, 29)
Vedran Corluka
Gelson Fernandes
Dietmar Hamann (Alberto Nery Castillo, 67)
Michael Johnson, M
Blumer Elano
Mwaruwari Benjani
Darius Vassell (Felipe Caicedo, 59)


Live Text Commentary
Full time
 

It's all over now and it's a fantastic win for Reading who climb out of the relegation places.

89

Doyle almosts makes it 3-0, as his strike from 12 yards just misses the target. It shouldn't matter though, Reading will hold on here.

88
Goal
 

Reading make sure of the points as Dave Kitson slots the ball home from close range.

86

Cross from Vedran Corluka is met by Benjani Mwaruwari but his header goes just over the bar.

83

Man City need to make something happen, they don't look like troubling the scorers at the moment.

82
Substitution
 

Shane Long replaced by Dave Kitson for Reading.

81

Another ambituous effort from Elano from 30 yards goes high and wide.

78

A corner to Reading is wasted by Oster, as the standard of set pieces from either side fails to improve.

77

A quiet spell in the game now, which will suit Steve Coppell's men down to the ground.

74

Man City burst forward again, but this time Sun Jihai is caught offside and you get the feeling that it might not be their day today.

73

Now the away side are taking the game to Reading, with a good period of play. However, the resulting corner is easily cleared by Reading.

72

In this fiture last season it was a single goal which seperated the sides and as things stand, that's they way it is going to turn out again.

70

As we move into the last twenty minutes, Man City need to score to keep their ever fading European hopes alive.

69

Reading looking the more likely to find the net again, Hunt comes close this time but his shot from inside the penalty area is saved well by Hart.

67
Substitution
 

Attacking substitution for Man City as Nery Castillo replaces Hamann. They needed to change something because Reading have been on top since they took the lead.

66

It has been Man City's away form which has let them down this year, gaining 17 more points on home turf than on the road.

65

This would be a hige win for Reading if they can hold on, they would leap frog a number of sides including Newcastle United.

64

Man City will be kicking themselves that they didn't take the lead while they were on top, they have now paid the price.

64

Long almost makes it 2-0 straight away, but his header just misses the target.

62
Goal
 

It's a goal against the run of play as Reading take the lead through a Shane Long header.

60
Substitution
 

It's a change for Man City as Felipe Caicedo replaces Vassell.

59

Reading launch their firr meaningful attack of the game, but a poor corner from John Oster means the danger is cleared.

56

Reading are certainly on the back foot now, as Elano's ambitious strike from 30 yards only just misses the target. Man City need to make their presure count.

55

Man City push forward again, as Gelson Fernandes' volleyed effort is hit straight to the keeper. Great strike from the midfielder.

54

The away side look more likely to score at the moment, Johnson's cross isn't brilliant though and is easily claimed by Marcus Hahnemann.

52

Both sides may look to the substitutes bench soon as they look to get a goal, options for Reading include Dave Kitson and for Man City Stephen Ireland could be brought on.

50

Reading may have to wait until the last minute for their goal today, as three of their last three goals have been scored in the 90th minute.

48

An inswinging corner is taken by Hunt falls to Marek Matejovsky who sees his shot fly wide of the post from 20 yards.

47

Interestingly, if Man City manage to win today, it will be the first double they have completed over Reading since 1988.

46

Man City have started the secon half looking more lively, Vassell threatening down the wing but his final ball lets him down again.

Second half
 

The second half is underway, will either side manage to find the one goal that should be enough to win the game?

Half time
 

It's all sqaure at the break, with neither side able to break the deadlock. It will be interesting to see how Man City cope without Dunne in the second half.

45

Kevin Doyle races through on goal only to be caught offside as Reading launch what could bt their last attack of the half.

44
Yellow Card
 

Johnson is booked after falling over too easily in the box, the Man City players wanted a penalty but Uriah Rennie was right to book the midfielder for diving.

43

As we approach half time, Sven-Goran Eriksson will be happy to get his side in at half time level and try and regroup.

42

Great save from Hart to keep Man City in the game, Marek Matejovsky's 20 yard strike is saved well by the young keeper.

41

Reading are moving ahead of steam now, the substitution of Dunne has definetly effected Manchester City.

39

Reading almost take the lead through Shane Long, his glancing header is watched wide by Hart though and the danger is cleared.

36

Hunt threatens from the first time from the right hand side, but his corner is collected comfortably by Joe Hart.

34

If results go Reading's way today and they pick up a victory, they could rise to 13th in the league, it shows how tight the relegation fight is going to be this year.

34

Vassell is causing problems down the right hand side for the away side, his cross is blocked well though by Liam Rosenior as Man City start to pile of the pressure.

33

Victory for Manchester City today would be their 50th away from home in Premier League history.

31

It was an innocent clash which led to the Man City defender being taken off, no blame to Hunt but it seems it could be serious.

30
Substitution
 

Sun Jihai is having to replace the impressive Dunne, who is strechered off after a clash with Reading's Hunt.

28

Hahnemann is tested properly for the first time as Vassell's cross finds the head of Benjani who sees his header saved well by the Reading keeper from 12 yards.

26

Richard Dunne makes a tough challenge on Ivar Ingimarsson as he breaks down another attack, the Man City captain seems on his game today.

25

Best chance of the game so far, falls to Manchester City as Elano's menacing cross somehow manages to avade Benjani Mwaruwari.

23

Manchester City's first corner of the game is taken by Elano, but it is easily claimed by Hahnemann. It has alll the makings of a 0-0 this one.

21

If Reading do manage to win here, it will be the first time they have won back to back games since April.

20

No real action to speak of in the last few minutes, its been fairly scrappy so far and you get the feeling one goal could be enough to win the game.

18
Yellow Card
 

Dietmar Hamann is booked after bringing down Reading's Stephen Hunt.

16

Elano's free kick from the right hand side is punched away well by Marcus Hahnemann as neither side are able to truly test the goalkeepers.

14

The reverse fixture this season saw Manchester City run ot 2-1 winners, with Petrov and Ireland scoring for the home side.

12

Another chance for Vassell to put a cross into the box is wasted as the former England international's effort goes out for a goal kick.

11

Nasty challenge from Dietmar Hamann on Kevin Doyle, he was lucky to get away without being booked there.

10

Manchester City are getting a lot of possession now, a neat and tify passing move results in a half chance for Javier Garrido who blasts high and wide.

7

Another player returning for Sven-Goran Eriksson is Blumer Elano is fit after picking up a knock against Wigan last week.

5

Man City have their first real chance of the game as Michael Johnson's shot from 20 yards just misses the target. They are grateful for his return from injuy.

4

Darius Vassell works his way down the right hand side in the away side's first attack, but his cross fails to find a team mate.

4

Manchester City often find scoring fairly difficult against Reading, they have only scored in two of their seven meetings in the league.

2

Reading have started on the front foot here, as they search for a vital three points at a crucial stage of the season.

Kickoff
 

Underway at the Madjeski Stadium where a Reading side searching for back to back wins take on a Manchester City side looking to improve on their poor away form.