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  • Forssell (4)
  • Hunt (51 pen)
  • Date:2007-12-15
  • Kick-off:15:00
  • Venue:St Andrews Stadium
  • Attendance:27300
  • Referee:Probert, L

Live Commentary

90mins

The full time whistle is blown and the game ends in a draw.

90mins

Kevin Doyle did well to stay on his feet and drive Reading forward down the right from inside his own half, he then crossed the ball in for Hunt who's effort went wide.

90mins

The crowd has gone quiet and any efforts to get behind the team have disappeared for Birmingham.

90mins

The fourth official indicates three minutes of added time.

87mins

Stephen Hunt dummied a shot fantastically and skipped past Sadler like he wasn't there, then setting up Shane Long who tried to volley a shot off balance and his effort went straight into the hands of Taylor.

85mins

Alex McLeish continues to urge his team on from his technical area and before he turned to the crowd to encourage them to get behind the team and grab a winning goal.

83mins

Shane Long replaces Bobby Convey.

81mins

Bobby Convey showed some good skill and ball control as he danced past Sadler, but his cross was blocked by Damiem Johnson who did well to track back into his own penalty area.

79mins

The action is still coming thick and fast, this time it was Gary O'Connor who fired a shot towards Hahnemann's near post only for his teammate Jerome to block his effort.

77mins

Ibrahima Sonko wasted what had to be a chance for Reading as he rose unchallenged from Harper's corner, but the defender put his header over the bar.

74mins

Mikael Forssell is replaced by Gary O'Connor.

73mins

Both teams are going for the win here at St Andrews and it's great stuff to watch.

72mins

Kalifa Cisse fired a shot at goal for Reading which Maik Taylor had to scurry accross his goal to save.

69mins

Great action in the game, Reading some how kept the ball out of the goal, Jerome headed the ball against the post with the ball bouncing back to Larsson who fired at goal, only for Sonko to block his shot on the line.

66mins

Birmingham have dominated possession in the second half and certainly look the more likely team to score.

64mins

Nicky Shorey has delievered some glorious service into the penalty area this afternoon, and he did so once again for Reading but Liam Ridgewell rose highest and did well to head to safety.

63mins

Stephen Kelly is booked for a nasty block tackle on Bobby Convey after the ball had gone.

61mins

Birmingham have piled the pressure on Reading since the away side pulled a goal back, but Reading are being resillient and defending well.

59mins

Birmingham won a free kick just outside the penalty area and Sebastian Larsson had a go with his right foot, only for Marcus Hahnemann to parry the ball and clear to safety.

58mins

McSheffery did brilliantly to get the ball into the penalty area from the left and Jerome did just as well to direct the ball goalward with his head, but Marcus Hahnemann managed to get a fingertip to the ball and tip it around the post.

56mins

Kevin Doyle was caught narrowly offside for Reading as it looked like he was clear through on goal and debatabley onside

54mins

Ibrahima Sonko needed to make contact with the ball as it was drilled accross the penalty area and Marcus Hahnemann was forced to back-pedal and tip the ball over the bar for a corner.

52mins

Cameron Jerome fails to complete the best move of the game so far by Birmingham, as he headed over Larsson's brilliant cross.

50mins

BIRMINGHAM 1 - 1 READING (HUNT) Stephen Hunt sends Maik Taylor the wrong way and slots home the penalty.

49mins

Maik Taylor some how stays on the pitch after bringing down Hunt who was clear through on goal.

49mins

Reading awarded a penalty after Maik Taylor brought down Stephen Hunt inside the penalty area.

47mins

Birmingham make a blistering start to the second half with Sebastian Larsson sending a fierce shot just past the post from a good twenty five yards out.

46mins

The game is back under way and no changes have been made at half time by either side.

45mins

Referee Lee Probert blows the whistle for half time.

45mins

Despite Reading's overwheling possession Birmingham still have the lead going into half time.

45mins

The fourth official indicates two minutes of added time.

43mins

Reading went straight up the other end of the pitch on the counter attack and James Harper did well to get a shot off, but Maik Taylor was equal to it and made a good save from the midfielder.

42mins

Marcus Hahnemann makes a fantastic save from Mikael Forssell after the Fin had shrugged off the challenge of Shorey.

40mins

Kevin Doyle puts a header over the bar from point blank range after another ball into the penalty area from Nicky Shorey.

40mins

Damien Johnson follows Murty into the notebook for a foul on Hunt as the Irishman looked to break clear.

39mins

Gary McSheffery fails to create anything from the resulting free kick and Hahnemann caught the ball with ease.

38mins

Graeme Murty the first to go into the referee's notebook for a needless foul on Fabrice Muamba.

35mins

Ibrahima Sonko lost possession of the ball just outside his own penalty area and Birmingham almost made him pay, but Marcus Hahnemann dealt with Jerome's effort which he almost spilt back into the striker's feet.

33mins

Reading have dominate possession so far in the game but have failed to create any clear cut opportunities in front of goal.

31mins

Gary McSheffery tried to break down the left for Birmingham but Graeme Murty showed how important he is to Reading, by staying with the winger and forcing him into a poor cross that was caught easily by Marcus Hahnemann.

29mins

Reading have been knocking on the Birmingham door for the past ten minutes of the game and are looking for that magical touch to grab an equaliser that they deserve.

27mins

It was Mathew Sadler who rose highest for Birmingham this time as Nicky Shorey once again whipped a dangerous free kick into the opposition penalty area.

25mins

Brynjar Gunnarsson is helped onto a stretcher and is replaced by Kalifa Cisse for Reading.

24mins

Reading are temporarily down to ten men, with Brynjar Gunnarsson looking very umcomfortable and in quite a bit of pain as he rolls around on the floor.

23mins

Stephen Hunt showed some trickery up against Stephen Kelly down the left for Reading, but his cross was cleared easily by Sebastien Larsson who was back defending.

23mins

Stephen Hunt showed some trickery up against Stephen Kelly down the left for Reading, but his cross was cleared easily by Sebastien Larsson who was back defending.

22mins

Reading are putting Birmingham under a spot of pressure at the moment, with Shorey and Harper putting dangerous crosses into the box for Rafael Schmitz to clear on both occassions.

20mins

Damien Johnson has made a fantastic start to his first game of the season and has dominated everything in midfield so far for Birmingham.

18mins

A good exchange of passes between Kevin Doyle and Bobby Convey put Convey into a great possession to cross the ball into the penalty area, but Maik Taylor showed a good command of his box and came and claimed the ball.

16mins

Nicky Shorey whipped in a fantastic corner for Reading only for Gunnarsons header to be blocked by Stephen Kelly and cleared to safety by the home side.

14mins

Stephen Hunt chased a lost cause for Reading from Harper's forward pass and put some good pressure on the Birmingham defence who were forced to concede a corner.

12mins

Ibrahima Sonko again muscles Cameron Jerome off the ball as the big striker looked to get past Sonko who has looked solid for Reading so far.

10mins

Birmingham have some what took control of the game after their early goal and look suprisingly relaxed on the ball, but should be careful not to be too complacent.

8mins

Fabrice Muamba made a cynical challenge on Dave Kitson just outside the area, but James Harper couldn't make the most of the position and curled his free kick wide of the goal.

6mins

Cameron Jerome almost broke clear for Birmingham after he used his blistering pace to gain a couple of yards over Ibrahima Sonko, but Sonko managed to get back and make a well timed tackle.

5mins

The home crowd have seemingly lifted their spirits after their teams early goal.

4mins

BIRMINGHAM 1 - 0 READING (FORSSELL) Mikael Forssell bundles the ball over the line after his first effort was cleared off the line by Reading's Nicky Shorey.

3mins

A shakey start from Birmingham City has quietened the silenced the home crowd.

2mins

Birmingham fail to clear the resulting corner from Taylor's save and put themselves under some unnecessary pressure in their own penalty area.

2mins

Reading make a positive start to the game with Kevin Doyle dancing worringly through the Birmingham defence and forcing and early save from Maik Taylor

1mins

Reading get the game under way here at St Andrews.

0mins

The referee this afternoon is Lee Probert (Gloucestershire).

0mins

Steve Coppell will be relieved that Graeme Murty and Ibrahima Sonko have recovered from injury in time for this fixture, however Michael Dubbery is not included in the squad despite recovering from a rib injury.

0mins

Damien Johnson makes his first league start for Birmingham after recovering from a long term hamstring problem, he replaces Medhi Nafti who is suspended. Johan Djourou also misses out for City with a pelvis injury.

0mins

Reading Line-up: Hahnemann, Murty, Sonko, Ingimarsson, Shorey, Hunt, Harper, Gunnarsson, Convey, Doyle, Kitson

0mins

Birmingham City Line-up: Maik Taylor, Kelly, Schmitz, Ridgewell, Sadler, Larsson, Johnson, Muamba, McSheffrey, Forssell, Jerome

Match Preview

Reading travel to Birmingham City for the first time in Premier League history, looking to build on their shock 3-1 win over Liverpool last weekend.

That victory, their fifth of the season, lifted the Royals to 12th in the table - three places and three points better off than the Blues.

However, Birmingham also impressed last Saturday, battling against an improved Newcastle United side only to eventually fall short thanks to a last-gasp winner by the Magpies.

The 2-1 loss was Alex McLeish's first as City boss and the Scotsman will have been pleased to hear chairman David Gold's announcement this week that there will be money to spend in January.

"We will of course support the manager with squad strengthening," Gold said, before stating that prospective owner Carson Yeung's takeover is far from imminent.

"I can see us being in charge of the football club in January but none of us can say what will happen over the next five years as far as the board of Birmingham City are concerned."

Of more immediate concern is the clash with Reading, and McLeish should have a full-strength strength squad to pick from.

The Royals are also blessed with a healthy squad, although Glen Little remains absent with an Achilles problem and Michael Duberry is a doubt as he recovers from broken ribs.

Manager Steve Coppell is therefore likely to pick the same squad that was so impressive against Liverpool.

Republic of Ireland international forward Kevin Doyle said of the win against Rafa Benitez's team: "Not many other sides will beat a top-four team and so it's a massive bonus.


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Match Report

Alex McLeish has inherited a Birmingham City side that is struggling to avoid mistakes as highlighted in their failure to again win at home.

They went into the game with a record of seven defeats in nine matches but were playing a Reading side that only had secured only one point on their travels, collected on the opening day of the season at Manchester United.

Former Scotland manager McLeish could not have wished for a better start when Mikael Forssell opened the scoring after only four minutes.

But Birmingham could not capitalise upon their impressive start against a Reading side which always threatened danger.

In a free-flowing game, Reading were gift-wrapped a point. Mat Sadler, back in favour under McLeish, found himself directly involved in a penalty incident which led to the Royals snatching a draw.

Sadler mis-timed his back-pass and Maik Taylor had little alternative but to lunge at Stephen Hunt and bring down Reading's danger-man.

The Irishman, who is playing a leading role in Reading's performances this season, duly slotted away his 51st minute penalty, sending the luckless Taylor the wrong way.

One of the few bonuses for McLeish, who declined to criticise his team, was the return of club skipper, Damien Johnson.

The Irishman made his first appearance of the season and came through with flying colours typical of his general approach to any match.

Birmingham produced a feast of football for the home fans with Cameron Jerome emerging as a big star of the future.

It was Jerome who knocked on Gary McSheffrey's corner to Forssell who was lurking at the far post and bundled the ball into the net for his third goal of the season.

It was only the second time this season that Jerome and Forssell had started a game and they certainly produced plenty of promising play.

Ibrahima Sonko never knew where to find Jerome and this put pressure on Reading keeper Marcus Hahnemann.

The American was a little suspect early on, his handling was far from secure but he later redeemed himself, particularly in the second period, with several fine saves.

He kept out Jerome's flying header and then dived to his right to keep out Seb Larsson's free-kick.

As a result Reading were quite happy with the outcome, while McLeish obviously needs to sort out some defensive problems.

But Birmingham wasted a good opportunity to improve their precarious league position and they now face a difficult winter with three successive games against Manchester United, Arsenal and Chelsea in January.

Birmingham City

Reading

Corners

66

Fouls

1219

Goal attempts

1611

Shots off target

54

Offsides

22

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