• Date: Sat 01 March 2008
  • Venue: The Riverside Stadium
  • Ref: Webb, H
  • Attendance: 23,299

Middlesbrough vs Reading

Team Lineups

Middlesbrough

Mark Schwarzer
Luke Young, L
David Wheater
Emanuel Pogatetz
Jonathan Grounds
Julio Arca (Lee Cattermole, 59)
Gary O'Neil
George Boateng (Adam Johnson, A, 74)
Stewart Downing
Sanli Tuncay
Martins Afonso Alves (Ahmed Hossam Mido, 68)

Reading

Marcus Hahnemann
Liam Rosenior
Ivar Ingimarsson
Andre Bikey
Nicky Shorey
Stephen Hunt
John Oster (Dave Kitson, 68)
Marek Matejovsky (Jimmy Kebe, 85)
James Harper
Kevin Doyle (Kalifa Cisse, 85)
Shane Long


Live Text Commentary
Full time
 

Harper wins it for Reading sending the small band of Royals supporters into euphoria with a smash and grab raid at te Riverside after frustrating Boro for mch of the game.

90
Goal
 

James Harper gets the goal that could win it for Reading, firing in Hunt's low cross after some nice build-up from Reading Harper arriving late into the box to slot it home.

90

Three minutes of added on time for someone to find a goal.

85

O'Neill takes anther corner for Boro, sending a high on in towards the far post where Mido meets it butcan only head it straight up and behind for a Reading goalkick.

85

Downing takes Boro's 6th corner of the game but its headed away by Harper, only as far as Downing who gets another cross in to the box but again Reading deal with it, Bikey clearing it away.

84
Substitution
 

Reading make a double change with Marek Matejovsky and Kevin Doyle coming off to be replaced by Kalifa Cisse and Jimmy Kebe

80

Downing bends in a freekick towards the edge of the six yard box, Kitson failing to get much distance on the header the ball coming back to O'Neil whose side footed effort was just inches wide of the left hand post.

79
Yellow Card
 

Shorey gets himself a booking after bringing down Johnson who had just got away from the Reading left-back.

77
Yellow Card
 

Downing goes down in a heap under the challenge from Mateojvsky and the referee books Downing for the dive.

73
Substitution
 

Middlesbrough make their final change with George Boateng being replaced by Adam Johnson.

73

Shorey’s freekick is delivered too close to Schwarzer who gathers it easily and then is urged to throw it out quickly.

72
Yellow Card
 

Kitson gets to the ball ahead of the youngster Ground and the defender gets himself a booking from the foul

69

Kitson tries and effort of his own but this one takes a deflections, taking all the sting off the ball and Schwarzer can easily gather.

67
Substitution
 

Reading make their own change with John Oster being replaced by Dave Kitson.

67
Substitution
 

Middlesbrough make their second change with a tired looking Alfonso Alves comig off and Mido coming on.

65

Downing takes the resulting freekick but its well dealt with by Hahnemann who comes off his line well to claim the ball.

64
Yellow Card
 

Hunt drags Young down afte Hunt lost the ball in the first place.

58
Substitution
 

Middlesbrough make their first change of the afternoon with Julio Arca coming off and Lee Cattermole making his return from injury and he enters the fray.

55

Oster gets in his cross from the right towards the near post where Doyle meets it but can only head it up and over the bar.

51

Downing does well again out on the wing, firing in a low cross into the box and Hahnemann has to dive off his line to collect the ball before Alves arrives at the far post for what would have been a tap in, good goalkeeping again.

51

Oster takes Reading's first corner of the game but its a poor one swinging it straight into the side netting.

49

Slow start from both sides in the first half, neither side seemingly wanting to take control of this game at the moment.

Second half
 

Middlesbrough get the second half underway, fatigue may well play a part in the game after Boro's extra time win over Sheffield Utd, we will have to wait and see.

Half time
 

Half time whistles goes after a fantic first half which went back and forth, both sides lacking the cutting edge, Alves' freekick the closest either side has come.

45

Just one minute added on tme to be played here.

42

Alves takes the freekick getting it up and over the wall with pace and Hahanemann gets across his line quickly to pluck the ball out of the air, good sav from the American goalkeeper.

41
Yellow Card
 

Liam Rosenior gets himself a booking after bringing down Alves on the edge of the penalty area.

40

Arca clips a ball into the box looking for th run of Tuncay but Hahnemann is quick off his line to grab the ball one handed.

36

Hunt swings a ball into the box with alot of pace on it, Bikey flicking it towards goal but its straight at Schwarzer who saves it well.

33

Oster puts an inswinging cross into the penalty area but Wheater does well to head it away from under his goalkeepers nose, Pogatez following it up and clearing it upfield.

32
Yellow Card
 

David Wheater gets himself a booking after diving in on Hunt, getting a bit tasty here at the Riverside.

31

Doyle stabs the ball home from th resulting freekick but the referee pulls it back after Bikey is ajudged to have fouled Schwarzer in his attempt to win the ball, close call for Boro.

30
Yellow Card
 

George Boateng is given a booking after pulling down Matejovsky who had just got away from the Dutch midfielder.

27

O'Neil takes the corner, sending it in towards Alves who rises well but his header is well wide and ends up going out for a Reading throw-in.

27

Downing whips a ball across the box looking for the run of Tuncay and Alves, Rosenior forced to head it behind for a corner.

25

Downing does well to work himself into some after a nice pass from Alves released the winger away but Downing's effort is a poor one and Hahnemann can save easily low down at his near post.

23

O'Neil tries a long range effort but its straight at Hahnemann who can gather the effort with ease.

21

Downing takes the corner and Hahnemann gets a slight touch on the ball to divert it away from danger, Hunt continuing the job by smashing it away.

21

Alves again does well to lay the ball back to Arca, who strikes it from the edge of the penalty area but Harper does well to block it and turn it behind for a corner.

19

Downing swings in a vicious corner towards goal and Hahnemann has to flick it away from danger, putting it out for a throw-in.

17
Yellow Card
 

Andre Bikey is booked after the Cameroon internatioal obstructed Arce getting the ball.

16

Oster gets the ball out wide and swings it into the penalty area, fining Hunt who puts alot of power on the effort but not much direction, smashing it high over the bar.

14

Ingimarsson looks to play a long ball towards Doyle but over hits the pass and puts it out of play as Reading waste possession again.

9

Downing's second corner is headed away by Bikey and then Matejovsky is fouled as Reading earn themselves a rest bite.

8

Downing swings in the corner towards the far post and fnds Pogatez but the defender can only head the ball at a group of Reading players and earn his side another corner.

8

Alves does well to hold up the ball and lay it back to Arca who strikes it first time, the shot taking a deflection and going wide for a corner.

6

Rosenior pushes forward and whips in a great cross towards the near post looking for the run of Long who beats Arca to the ball but can only head it over the bar.

5

Not agreat deal happening at the Riverside at the moment, both sides just probing each others defences at the moment.

1

Bikey miss judges the flight of a long ball from O'Neil which Alves nearly latches onto but Hahnemann is off his line well to slices the ball away.

Kickoff
 

Todays Referee Howard Webb gets this game underway here at the Riverside Stadium with both sides still facing the possibility of playing their football in the Championship next season. Reading kick-off

Awaiting Kickoff
 

Reading XI: Hahnemann, Rosenior, Ingimarsson, Bikey, Shorey, Oster, Harper, Matejovsky, Hunt, Doyle, Long

Awaiting Kickoff
 

Reading are missing Michael Duberry, Brynjar Gunnarsson and Glen Little as they hope to avoid are recording a 9th straight league defeat. Andre Bikey comes into the team as Ibrahima Sonko drops to the bench.

Awaiting Kickoff
 

Middlesbrough XI: Schwarzer, Young, Wheater, Pogatetz, Grounds, O'Neil, Boateng, Arca, Downing, Alves, Sanli

Awaiting Kickoff
 

Middlesbrough welcome back David Wheater from suspension. But Fabio Rochemback is unavailable and joins the long injury list at the Riverside with Bates, Taylor and Shawky all still missing.