- Date:2009-04-13
- Kick-off:15:00
- Venue:Bloomfield Road
- Attendance:7722
- Referee:Wright, K
Live Commentary
90mins
That's it, it's all over, the referee has blown the final whistle.
87mins
Roy O'Donovan is being taken off, Claus Jorgensen has come on in his place.
84mins
Lee Hughes is being taken off, Brett Ormerod has come on in his place.
81mins
The referee has booked Noel Hunt.
79mins
Reading are replacing Shane Long with Glen Little.
69mins
Reading are replacing Jimmy Kebe with Dave Kitson.
66mins
Goal!! Dudley Campbell scores for Blackpool.
56mins
Alex John-Baptiste goes into the referee's book for unsporting behaviour.
47mins
Jem Karacan goes into the referee's book for unsporting behaviour.
46mins
The second half is under way with the score currently at 1 v 2.
45mins
The ref has blown his whistle for half time.
31mins
Goal!! Keith Southern scores for Blackpool.
24mins
Goal!! Reading have scored with Jem Karacan putting it in the back of the net.
10mins
Goal!! Noel Hunt scores for Reading.
0mins
The ref has blown his whistle and the match has started.
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Match Report
A pulsating, error strewn game at Bloomfield Road saw high-riding Reading almost come to grief after surrendering a two-goal lead to their lowly but gutsy hosts.
Steve Coppell will be pleased that in the end they escaped with a point.
Considering that Reading and Blackpool came into this match looking to make strides towards promotion and safety respectively, the opening exchanges were pedestrian and distinctly end of season.
A wise man once said, however, that goals change matches and thankfully so it was in this case from the moment that Blackpool's slack defending gifted Reading their opener on nine minutes.
A routine inswinging Stephen Hunt corner induced Pool keeper Paul Rachubka to flap indecisively at the ball as Noel Hunt stole in to head home from five yards.
The dangerous Noel Hunt almost doubled his tally ten minutes later, his 35-yard free-kick forcing Rachubka into a full-length fingertip save.
Reading were controlling the game with Jay Tabb and the pacey Jem Karacan leading frequent raids against the beleaguered home defence and their pressure was rewarded after 25 minutes.
Full-back Julian Kelly fed Jimmy Kebe, whose run and cross saw Noel Hunt's header tipped against the bar by Rachubka, leaving the unmarked Karacan to poke the ball home from two yards out.
Within seven minutes a Keith Southern goal gave Blackpool a lifeline and changed the mood and feel of the game.
A Charlie Adam corner was only half cleared and when the Scot, on loan from Rangers, played it back into the box Southern reacted quickly to drive past Marcus Hahnemann from close range.
After the break frantic pressure from Blackpool was duly rewarded on 66 minutes by a DJ Campbell goal that turned out to be equally frantic.
Outpacing Michael Duberry, Campbell bore down on goal and as the keeper came to meet him, drove the ball to the back post.
Roy O'Donovan, surrounded by Reading defenders, could only find the underside of the bar. The subsequent clearance fell to Campbell, who volleyed what turned out to be a deserved equaliser.
Blackpool Team
Reading Team
Blackpool | Reading |
Corners
| 5 | 8 |
Fouls
| 14 | 14 |
Goal attempts
| 9 | 8 |
Shots off target
| 4 | 3 |
Offsides
| 2 | 1 |
