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  • Kitson (53), Long (84)
  • Duberry (76 og)
  • Date:2007-10-27
  • Kick-off:15:00
  • Venue:Madejski Stadium
  • Attendance:24119
  • Referee:Dowd, P

Live Commentary

90mins

Full time at the Madjeski Stadium

90mins

Newcastle do not look like scoring and have lost their buzz as the game goes into the third minute of added time

90mins

The fourth official indicates four minutes of added time

88mins

Newcastle had the ball in the back of the net only for it to be ruled out for Cacapa being ten mile offside

87mins

Leroy Rosenoir replaces Graeme Murty

85mins

Reading have now taken the sting out of the game with their goal against the run of play

83mins

READING 2 - 1 NEWCASTLE UNITED: (LONG) Shane Long scores with his first touch of the ball after a route one ball from Nicky Shorey

82mins

Leroy Lita is replaced by Shane Long

80mins

Newcastle have Reading under the cosh and the home side look to be crumbling under pressure

77mins

James Milner and Emre linked up well for Newcastle and almost found a way throught for Michael Owen before Murty dove in and knocked the ball out to safety

75mins

Newcastle look like they have the confidence to go on and win the game having had a bit of luck with their goal

74mins

READING 1 - 1 NEWCASTLE UNITED: (O.G. DUBERRY) Michael Duberry scores an unfortunate own goal after a curling Emre free kick

71mins

Abdoulaye Faye is replaced by James Milner

70mins

Reading won a free kick right inside the D of the penalty area from which Leroy Lita hit a shot that was blocked by Joey Barton

68mins

James Harper's delivery into the box was met by the unlikely Sonko who put his free header straight over the bar

66mins

A half chance for Michael Owen but Marcus Hahnemann is equal to it and saves the shot comfortably

64mins

Hahnemann is once again taking forever to take a free kick and still isn't spoken to by the Referee

62mins

Marcus Hahnemann must of held the ball in his hands for at least ten seconds, and ridiculously Referee Dowd did not do anything about it

60mins

Reading are on top of everything and closing Newcastle down all over the pitch, making it twice as hard as it already is for the away side

57mins

Nicky Butt and Obafemi Martins are replaced by Alan Smith and Charles N'Zogbia

55mins

Newcastle have all the work to do now and Sam Allardyce has his substitutes warming up with the possibility of changing things

53mins

READING 1 - 0 NEWCASTLE UNITED: (KITSON) Dave Kitson puts Reading ahead with a smart finish past Shay Given after good work from Stephen Hunt and Kevin Doyle

52mins

A blatent deliberate handball from Stephen Hunt some how went unpunished from Referee Dowd

50mins

Ibrahima Sonko and Marcus Hahnemann almost getting in each others way and giving the ball away to Martins in a very dangerous position, but the Goalkeeper didn't take a risk and kicked the ball to safety

48mins

Obafemi Martins looks frustrated with the lack of service being provided to himself and Owen this afternoon, and he has every right to be unhappy on the judging from the game so far

46mins

Reading get the game underway for the second half

45mins

Half time at the Madjeski Stadium

45mins

The fourth official indicates one minute of added time

42mins

Leroy Lita hit the ball over the top of the cross bar from a pin point position in front of goal and perhaps should of hit the cross first time instead of controlling it on his thigh before volleying over

40mins

Claudio Cacapa and Shay Given showing a break down in communication as they both got in each others way and almost let the ball run into the net for an own goal

38mins

Newcastle won a free kick in a dangerous position but Geremi hit a soft curling shot which was easy for Hahnemann in the Reading goal

36mins

Easy take for Shay Given with his first save of the game for Newcastle after a lame left foot volley from Lita was hit straight down his throat

34mins

Nicky Butt makes a rare mistake after losing possession to Dave Kitson who drove forward and won a corner for Reading

32mins

Obafemi Martins is causing Reading's defence some problems with his lightening pace and looks sure to punish them given the chance to break

30mins

Michael Duberry shows no mercy after he smashed into the back of Michael Owen resulting in a free kick and a warning from the referee

27mins

Kevin Doyle misses the target with a header at the back post after a decent forward run and cross from Graeme Murty

24mins

Evidence that demonstrates the fluctuating performance of Sonko who did brilliantly to disposses Michael Owen who was baring down on goal, and then hit a 50 yard pass straight into touch to the bemusement of his team mates

23mins

Newcastle are starting to pass the ball around comfortably and look the more likely to score at the minute

21mins

Emre looks to be uncomfortable playing on the left hand side for Newcastle and Kevin Doyle is trying to exploit Jose Enrique being unprotected at left back

18mins

Ibrahima Sonko looks an accident waiting to happen for Reading after some very suspect defending

16mins

Jose Enrique played a some what delightful ball into the back post, but unfortunately to the suprise of Geremi who wasn't expecting the ball to arrive and so mishit the ball into the stands

14mins

Newcastle are getting to grips with the game and are looking threatening despite Reading's promising start

12mins

Michael Owen misses a chance for Newcastle after Beye had played the bal over the top, but Marcus Hahnemnann just did enough to put Owen off and his shot was cleared by Graeme Murty

10mins

Habib Beye misplaced a pass to Kevin Doyle just outside the penalty area who played Leroy Lita through on goal, but Lita's shot was hit straight at Shay Given and Reading waste their first chance to score

9mins

Cacapa again showing his domination at the back for the visitors jumping high above Leroy Lita and heading the ball to safety from Reading's corner

7mins

Kevin Doyle has started the game on the right side of midfield instead of playing in his normal striker position for Reading

5mins

Claudio Cacapa makes a last ditch tackle to knick the ball away from Leroy Lita just as he was about to pull the trigger and prevents Reading from potentially taking the lead

4mins

A great ball from Habib Beye as he smashed a pass cross field inch perfect for Michael Owen, but the striker lost his footing and Reading regained possession

2mins

Early signs of Reading's intent as they hit Newcastle early on the break, and as expected they've came flying out of the blocks

1mins

Newcastle get the game underway at the Madjeski Stadium kicking from left to right

0mins

Referee: Phil Dowd (Staffordshire)

0mins

Joey Barton makes his Premiership debut for Newcastle after successfully recovering from his broken foot, and Charles N'Zogbia moves down the bench in place of Emre after suffering from sickness late last night.

0mins

Steve Coppell starts with three strikers against Newcastle, recalling Kevin Doyle and Leroy Lita to the starting line-up after last weeks defeat to Blackburn. Graeme Murty also starts for Reading despite suffering from sickness during the week.

0mins

Newcastle Line-up: Given, Beye, Faye, Cacapa, Jose Enrique, Geremi, Barton, Butt, Emre, Martins, Owen

0mins

Reading Line-up: Hahnemann, Murty, Sonko, Duberry, Shorey, Lita, Gunnarsson, Harper, Hunt, Doyle, Kitson

Match Preview

Reading will be rather unwilling hosts on Saturday as the Newcastle United side which destroyed Spurs 3-1 on Monday comes to the Madejski Stadium.

The Magpies have scored six goals in their last two games and have now scored three goals in four matches already this season.

Reading at least have memories of victory over United in the same fixture last season, when a Dave Kitson goal was enough to bring Reading their second ever win over the Geordies.

The Royals are having an equally inconsistent season this term, failing to string together back-to-back wins at any point.

That has led to criticism of manager Steve Coppell, although he was defended this week by no less than three of his players.

Kevin Doyle backed Coppell's decision to rest him after playing twice in the international break, while goalkeeper Marcus Hahnemann spoke out about their league record.

"The bottom line is, everyone is freaking out about where we are, we're 12th. That is still a pretty good spot for us considering the size of our club," said the American.

Meanwhile captain Graeme Murty spoke of the players themselves needing to take responsibility for results and performances.

"We win as a team and lose as a team, and everyone has to muck in defensively," Murty said after admitting Reading's defensive problems were "a worry."

The Royals at least appear ready to welcome back Bobby Convey from a thigh strain, but he can do little about the back line which has conceded 15 goals in four games.

Newcastle should have Mark Viduka and Shola Ameobi back in contention for Saturday, not that they need more firepower in attack.


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Match Report

Shane Long came off the bench to score with virtually his first touch and secure a third successive home win for Reading.

Long controlled Nicky Shorey's deep free-kick and lashed home to seal Reading the three points after Michael Duberry's own goal had seemed set to gift the visitors a point.

Dave Kitson's neat finish had put the home side in front after Reading striker Leroy Lita had wasted a hat-trick of chances in a goalless first half.

Kevin Doyle, who scored twice as a substitute in the defeat at Blackburn last week, was employed on the right of midfield as Royals boss Steve Coppell continued with a strike partnership of Lita and Kitson.

And it was Lita who gave Newcastle the most trouble as he looked lively on his first home Premier League start in eight weeks.

The England Under-21 striker had a glorious chance to open the scoring on ten minutes when Doyle got into space on the right and squeezed a low cross that was just behind the in-rushing Lita, leaving the striker embarrassed as the ball bounced against his standing foot.

At the other end, Michael Owen, who made his comeback from a knee injury in this fixture last season, looked to have been gifted the chance to open the scoring when Ibrahima Sonko allowed a speculative cross to drift beyond him and was grateful to see Graeme Murty and Marcus Hahnemann combine to scramble the ball away to safety.

Lita went close again when he showed great strength to hold off Claudio Cacapa but then sent a left-foot shot straight at Shay Given.

Newcastle could feel fortunate to be heading in on level terms at half-time, especially when Lita narrowly failed to turn the ball home at the far post after Stephen Hunt had flicked on following a great run and cross from Doyle.

But Reading did finally make the breakthrough eight minutes into the second half when Hunt and Lita combined to roll the ball into the path of Kitson, who showed great awareness to float a left-foot shot over the outstretched arms of the stranded Given.

But the visitors were level 14 minutes from time when Hunt fouled substitute James Milner and Emre's free-kick evaded Kitson before being bundled over his own line by the hapless Duberry.

Reading's response was a positive one and Long made an immediate impact seconds after replacing the tiring Lita.

The young Irish striker latched on to Sonko's flick-on from a Shorey free-kick and then rifled into the roof of Given's net to secure the home side a deserved victory.

Reading

Newcastle United

Corners

58

Fouls

1410

Goal attempts

126

Shots off target

74

Offsides

15

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