- Harper (90)
- Date:2008-03-01
- Kick-off:15:00
- Venue:The Riverside Stadium
- Attendance:23299
- Referee:Webb, H
Live Commentary
90mins
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.
90mins
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.
85mins
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.
85mins
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.
84mins
Reading make a double change with Marek Matejovsky and Kevin Doyle coming off to be replaced by Kalifa Cisse and Jimmy Kebe
80mins
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.
79mins
Shorey gets himself a booking after bringing down Johnson who had just got away from the Reading left-back.
77mins
Downing goes down in a heap under the challenge from Mateojvsky and the referee books Downing for the dive.
73mins
Middlesbrough make their final change with George Boateng being replaced by Adam Johnson.
73mins
Shoreys freekick is delivered too close to Schwarzer who gathers it easily and then is urged to throw it out quickly.
72mins
Kitson gets to the ball ahead of the youngster Ground and the defender gets himself a booking from the foul
69mins
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.
67mins
Reading make their own change with John Oster being replaced by Dave Kitson.
67mins
Middlesbrough make their second change with a tired looking Alfonso Alves comig off and Mido coming on.
65mins
Downing takes the resulting freekick but its well dealt with by Hahnemann who comes off his line well to claim the ball.
64mins
Hunt drags Young down afte Hunt lost the ball in the first place.
58mins
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.
55mins
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.
51mins
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.
51mins
Oster takes Reading's first corner of the game but its a poor one swinging it straight into the side netting.
49mins
Slow start from both sides in the first half, neither side seemingly wanting to take control of this game at the moment.
45mins
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.
45mins
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.
45mins
Just one minute added on tme to be played here.
42mins
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.
41mins
Liam Rosenior gets himself a booking after bringing down Alves on the edge of the penalty area.
40mins
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.
36mins
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.
33mins
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.
32mins
David Wheater gets himself a booking after diving in on Hunt, getting a bit tasty here at the Riverside.
31mins
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.
30mins
George Boateng is given a booking after pulling down Matejovsky who had just got away from the Dutch midfielder.
27mins
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.
27mins
Downing whips a ball across the box looking for the run of Tuncay and Alves, Rosenior forced to head it behind for a corner.
25mins
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.
23mins
O'Neil tries a long range effort but its straight at Hahnemann who can gather the effort with ease.
21mins
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.
21mins
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.
19mins
Downing swings in a vicious corner towards goal and Hahnemann has to flick it away from danger, putting it out for a throw-in.
17mins
Andre Bikey is booked after the Cameroon internatioal obstructed Arce getting the ball.
16mins
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.
14mins
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.
9mins
Downing's second corner is headed away by Bikey and then Matejovsky is fouled as Reading earn themselves a rest bite.
8mins
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.
8mins
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.
6mins
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.
5mins
Not agreat deal happening at the Riverside at the moment, both sides just probing each others defences at the moment.
1mins
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.
0mins
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
0mins
Reading XI: Hahnemann, Rosenior, Ingimarsson, Bikey, Shorey, Oster, Harper, Matejovsky, Hunt, Doyle, Long
0mins
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.
0mins
Middlesbrough XI: Schwarzer, Young, Wheater, Pogatetz, Grounds, O'Neil, Boateng, Arca, Downing, Alves, Sanli
0mins
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.
Match Preview
Middlesbrough could ease their own lingering relegation fears while simultaneously increasing the pressure on beleaguered Reading with victory at the Riverside Stadium on Saturday.
Boro have pulled away from the drop-zone with an upturn in fortunes in recent weeks, but it has been a different story for a free-falling Royals outfit, that remain firmly entrenched in the bottom three.
Gareth Southgate's side moved up to 12th in the table on the back of a five-match unbeaten run before last weekend's narrow 3-2 defeat at Liverpool. They are also unbeaten on home soil since New Year's Day.
In midweek, the Teessiders finally got the better of Sheffield United following a grim extra-time FA Cup fifth-round replay victory over the Championship outfit.
In the continued absence of suspended striker Jeremie Aliadiere - who was sent off at Anfield - £12million January signing Afonso Alves could start in the Premier League for the first time.
The Brazil striker has made a string of cameo appearances off the bench since his arrival in January and started Wednesday's win against the Blades.
Meanwhile, David Wheater is free from suspension and could return to the heart of the defence but Lee Cattermole (knee), Andrew Taylor (ankle) and Chris Riggott (hamstring) remain on the sidelines.
Reading manager Steve Coppell has called on his players to wipe the slate clean and stage a late fight to retain their top-flight status.
The Royals failed to climb out of the bottom three after losing an eighth consecutive league game 2-1 to Aston Villa last Sunday and confidence is currently at rock-bottom at the Madejski Stadium.
However, Coppell has challenged his side to win their upcoming games against fellow struggling sides - with the likes of Derby County, Wigan Athletic and Fulham following on the heels of the trip to the north-east this weekend.
"With 11 games to go, I think we've got six against teams in 'our division'. We need to get a return from those," he said.
"We need to win away from home - if you don't there's just too much pressure on the home games."
On the injury front, Coppell has been boosted by the return to full training of Michael Duberry following a knee problem.
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Match Report
Reading ended an eight-match losing sequence with a valuable last-gasp win at the Riverside Stadium.
James Harper was mobbed by delighted team-mates with his goal in the first minute of added time.
The win was a tonic for Reading, but they are still in danger of going down as the victims of second-season syndrome.
Middlesbrough had struggled to lift their game following the FA Cup extra-time win over Sheffield United in midweek.
Reading arrived at the Riverside low in confidence, but they battled away to deny the Teessiders any clear-cut scoring chances.
Manager Steve Coppell will hope this win gives his team lift-off in the desperate battle ahead.
Meanwhile, Boro boss Gareth Southgate will hope his team will raise their performance for the FA Cup sixth round tie against Cardiff City, particularly with a semi-final Wembley appearance at stake.
There was a lack of atmosphere at the start and this was reflected in the standard of play.
For the visitors, Shane Long headed over the bar and Stephen Hunt blasted high and wide in the early stages.
At the other end, England winger Stewart Downing shot straight at goal keeper Marcus Hahnemann from a pass by Afonso Alves.
Middlesbrough midfielder George Boateng was the first of several bookings by over fussy referee Howard Webb.
Hunt was an energetic presence for the visitors, but there was a lack of menace from either side and neither Hahnemann nor Mark Schwarzer were seriously tested before the break.
Reading kept a tight hold on Alves, although Middlesbrough's record £12million purchase looked short of match fitness.
The crowd tried to lift the home side after the break but there was scant response with a limited number of thrills at either end.
Both teams introduced substitutes in a bid to transform their fortunes without immediate effect.
Downing was among the bookings late in the game with the referee appearing to judge the local hero had taken a dive in what looked a harsh decision.
The game looked destined for a goalless draw long before the final whistle but Reading broke the deadlock in added time.
Hunt provided a cross from the left wing and Harper took advantage of a clear opening to beat Schwarzer.
Middlesbrough Team
Reading Team
Middlesbrough | Reading |
Corners
| 7 | 2 |
Fouls
| 10 | 17 |
Goal attempts
| 10 | 6 |
Shots off target
| 5 | 3 |
Offsides
| 2 | 5 |



90mins
Three minutes of added on time for someone to find a goal.