• Date: Sat 20 October 2007
  • Venue: Ewood Park
  • Ref: Marriner, A
  • Attendance: 19,425
Blackburn Rovers

Blackburn Rovers

McCarthy (18)

Santa Cruz (22)

Tugay (32)

McCarthy (82) P

4 - 2
Reading

Reading

Doyle (80)

Doyle (90)

Blackburn Rovers vs Reading

Team Lineups

Blackburn Rovers

Brad Friedel
Christopher Samba
Stephen Warnock (Zurab Khizanishvili, 54)
Andre Ooijer
Brett Emerton
David Bentley
Kerimoglu Tugay
David Dunn (Morten Gamst Pedersen, 66)
Robbie Savage
Benni McCarthy
Roque Santa Cruz (Matt Derbyshire, 77)

Reading

Marcus Hahnemann
Michael Duberry
Andre Bikey (Leroy Lita, 46)
Graeme Murty
Nicky Shorey
Ibrahima Sonko
Stephen Hunt
James Harper
Liam Rosenior (Brynjar Gunnarsson, 46)
Emerse Fae (Kevin Doyle, 64)
Dave Kitson


Live Text Commentary
Full time
 

Full time at Ewood Park and Blackburn take the three points

90

The fourth official indicates three minutes of added time

90

A frantic end to a very entertaining game here at Ewood Park

89
Goal
 

BLACKBURN 4 - 2 READING (DOYLE): Kevin Doyle with a second goal for Reading after coming on as a substitute here in the second half

89

The referee over rules the linesman this time and awards a corner to Reading when the linesman signalled a goal kick

87

Confusion between the linesman and the referee after one signalled for a corner to Reading and the other disagreed

85

Blackburn have killed off Reading's chances of getting anything from the game and the Royals look depleted all over the pitch

82
Goal
 

BLACKBURN 4 - 1 READING (McCARTHY) Benni McCarthy converts the penalty for Rovers and extends their lead once again

82

Blackburn are awarded a penalty after Matt Derbyshire was brought down just inside the penalty area

80
Goal
 

BLACKBURN 3 - 1 READING: (DOYLE) Kevin Doyle with a consolation goal for Reading

76
Substitution
 

Roque Santa Cruz is replaced by Matt Derbyshire

73

Blackburn have took their foot off the pedal and the game has lost its pace, with Rovers still in total control

71

Reading are giving their all to the cause but nothing seems to be going their way this afternoon

69

Leroy Lita with another great opportunity for Reading with a superb header that Brad Friedel tipped onto the crossbar and out for a corner

67
Substitution
 

David Dunn is replaced by Morten Gamst Pedersen

65
Substitution
 

Stephen Warnock is replaced by Zurab Khizanishvili

63
Substitution
 

Emerse Fae is replaced by Kevin Doyle

60

Blackburn hit Reading on the counter attack with David Bentley weaving in and out of the defence but Tugay was unable to get his strike on target

58

A great save by Friedel after Readings best chance of the game with Leroy Lita with a powerful snap shot inside the penalty area but Blackburn cleared the ball from danger

56

Reading are lacking a cutting edge and a final product depsite Leroy Lita and Dave Kitson linking up well in attack

54

Reading have signalled their intent early in the second half after winning three corners within the first 9 minutes of the restart

52

Leroy Lita has brought some life to the Reading side after coming on at half time and looks determined to try and get something from this game

50

David Bentley was the man back for Blackburn after he was there to block Lita's shot at the back post from a Reading corner

48

Stephen Warnock recieves some treatment after a nasty knock on his ankle

46
Substitution
 

Andre Bikey and Liam Rosenoir are replaced at half time by Brynjar Gunnarsson and Leroy Lita

Second half
 

Reading get the game back underway

Half time
 

Half time here at Ewood Park

45

The referee indicates three minutes of added time

43

Christopher Samba beat Sonko in the air in the penalty area and should of perhaps got his header on target for Blackburn

41

Stephen Warnock got forward from full back and linked up well with McCarthy before crossing the ball straight at Sonko who headed clear for Reading

39

Andre Bikey rose like a salmon after a great ball into the box from Harper and got great power behind his header which was unfortuneately hit straight at Friedel in the Rovers goal

37

Tugay almost slipping in McCarhty with a clever pass through the channel but Sonko was there for Reading and he cleared the ball to safety

34

Brett Emerton and Stephen Hunt get involved in an off the ball incident but both escape a booking and are warned by Referee Mariner

32
Goal
 

BLACKBURN ROVERS 3 - 0 READING: (TUGAY): A brilliant thirty yard strike from Tugay which flew into the top corner to put Rovers three up after just half and hour

28

Liam Rosenior showed great determination to reach the ball down the right but his cross was nothing special and Brad Friedel came and collected with ease

25

Reading already have a bit of a mountain to climb and do not look like creating any real chances here at Ewood Park

22
Goal
 

BLACKBURN ROVERS 2 - 0 READING: (SANTA CRUZ): Roque Santa Cruz with a superb finish after brilliant build up play from Blackburn

20

Andre Bikey is warned about his future conduct after a crunching tackle on David Bentley but escapes without a yellow card somehow

18
Goal
 

BLACKBURN ROVERS 1 - 0 READING (GOAL!!) (McCARTHY) Benni McCarthy puts Rovers ahead after a great pass from Roque Santa Cruz

15

Blackburn have been the better team in the opening fifteen minutes and look very dangerous going forward with McCarthy and Santa Cruz up front

12

Marcus Hahnemann made a good save to deny Bentley from twelve yards out after the winger had weaved his way inside from the right once again

10

Graeme Murty with some good defending up against Benni McCarthy as the South African tried to turn him on the edge of the penalty area

8

David Bentley has seen plenty of the ball in the opening ten minutes of the game and looks dangerous down the right hand side for Blackburn

6

Great inter play from Reading going forward with Stephen Hunt and James Harper linking up well but Kitson's finish was off target

4

Christopher Samba is down in the centre circle with a head injury after a nasty clash with Dave Kitson

2

Liam Rosenoir with an early drive down the right hand side but Tugay was there to clean up for Rovers

1
Kickoff
 

Blackburn get the game underway at Ewood Park

Awaiting Kickoff
 

Referee: Andre Marriner (West Midlands)

Awaiting Kickoff
 

Reading are still without the injured Bobby Convey, John Oster, Glen Little and Kalifa Cisse, while Shane Long has not been passed fit for the game. Though Steve Coppell does recall Ibrahim Sonko who makes his first start since January for the Royals

Awaiting Kickoff
 

Mark Hughes is able to recall Roque Santa Cruz to his starting line-up after the striker recovered from his recurrence of tendinitis, however Ryan Nelsen is not yet ready to return from his hamstring injury and does not make the squad.

Awaiting Kickoff
 

Reading Line-up: Hahnemann, Murty, Sonko, Duberry, Shorey, Bikey, Harper, Fae, Rosenior, Kitson, Hunt

Awaiting Kickoff
 

Blackburn Line-up: Friedel, Emerton, Samba, Ooijer, Warnock, Bentley, Savage, Kerimoglu, Dunn, Santa Cruz, McCarthy