Reading 2 - 1 Sunderland

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Saturday Dec 22 2007 03:00

Stephen Hunt snatched victory for Reading with a controversial injury-time winner to see off Sunderland.

Roy Keane's Black Cats appeared to have salvaged a point as Michael Chopra's late penalty cancelled out Ivar Ingimarsson's opener for the home side.

But Hunt's shot two minutes into stoppage time was ruled to have crossed the line before Craig Gordon's outstretched arm had pushed the ball out.

It was tough on Sunderland, but Reading would have kicked themselves if they had failed to win after creating a string of chances over the 90 minutes.

Hunt had come closest to opening the scoring in a first half dominated by the home side, but in a remarkable preview of what was to follow, Gordon had scrambled his effort away with Hunt claiming the ball had crossed the line.

It took Reading nearly 70 minutes to make their dominance count, Ingimarsson bundling home from close range, after Gordon had parried Ibrahima Sonko's header from a James Harper free-kick.

But Kevin Doyle, who had missed a hat-trick of first-half chances, then squandered an opportunity to make the game safe when he fired across goal after Dave Kitson had teed him up.

The home side were made to pay for their profligacy eight minutes from time when Kenwyne Jones raced clear of the home defence and crumpled under a sliding challenge from Sonko.

There seemed to be no contact between the players but, crucially, no contact with the ball either and referee Steve Tanner pointed to the spot, giving Chopra the chance to fire past Marcus Hahnemann.

Jones then had the chance to snatch victory for the visitors when he sprinted clear of Ingimarsson, but saw his effort blocked by an alert Hahnemann.

But there was still time for a dramatic finale and Hunt provided it with seconds to spare, arriving unmarked at the far post to meet substitute Shane Long's cross.

The linesman's flag immediately went up to signal a goal, despite Gordon's desperate attempt to keep the ball out, sparking huge protests from the Sunderland players on the final whistle.

But Reading had been the better team in a frustrating game and ultimately warranted the three points, however controversial the circumstances.

Live Commentary

  • 90
    Reading get the three points after a dramatic end to the game at Madjeski Stadium.
  • 90
    READING 2 - 1 SUNDERLAND (HUNT) Stephen Hunt's shot was judged to have crossed the line by the referee and Reading are awarded a winning goal in the last minute of added time.
  • 90
    A fantastic end to the game, with Reading now piling the pressure on Sunderland in the closing minutes of the game.
  • 90
    The fourth official indicates three minutes of added time.
  • 88
    Kenwyne Jones greedily puts his effort wide of the goal after Anthony Stokes was stood unmarked five yards to his left, and Sunderland waste a very good chance.
  • 86
    Chopra went down after his last effort and is injured, being replaced by Anthony Stokes.
  • 85
    All of a sudden Michael Chopra has came to life after scoring the penalty and is harrassing the Reading defence, as he went close with a shot just going over the cross bar.
  • 83
    Roy Keane gets a ticking off from the referee for presumably making his mouth go about a decision going against his side.
  • 81
    READING 1 - 1 SUNDERLAND (CHOPRA) Michael Chopra converts the penalty with great composure to equalise for Sunderland.
  • 81
    Kenwyne Jones goes over easily inside the penalty area and Steve Tanner awards a penalty to Sunderland.
  • 79
    Sunderland force the first save from Marcus Hahnemann in the second half, with Jones turning quickly and firing a shot straight at the America.
  • 77
    It's Reading who continue to push for a second goal rather than Sunderland for an equaliser, this time it was Kitson who went close for the home team with a left footed shot from about twenty yards out.
  • 75
    Kevin Doyle found a couple of yards on the left side of the penalty area and wizzed a fierce shot accross the face of goal and past Gordon's far post for a goal kick. He was inches away.
  • 72
    Kenwyne Jones wasted a good opportunity for Sunderland after some good work from Whitehead down the right, he crossed the ball into the penalty area and Jones put the ball over the bar from six yards.
  • 71
    Sunderland are pushing harder now and know that they have nothing to lose now if they want to salvage a point out of the game.
  • 69
    READING 1 - 0 SUNDERLAND (INGIMARSSON) Ivar Ingimarsson puts Reading ahead after a quick free kick into the penalty area.
  • 67
    The game is still evenly balanced and is looking likely to end in a draw at the half way stage in the second half.
  • 65
    Dickson Etuhu made his first contribution to the game with a slightly reckless foul on Ibrahima Sonko, but he escapes without a booking.
  • 62
    Roy Keane has reshuffled his side with Michael Chopra being pushed up top and Ross Wallace playing out wide, as Sunderland look to push for a winning goal.
  • 59
    Sunderland replace Andrew Cole and Daryll Murphy with Ross Wallace and Dickson Etuhu.
  • 57
    Kevin Doyle decided to have a go at Danny Collins down the left side of the penalty area and fire a cross accross the face of goal which curled out of play for a goal kick.
  • 55
    This is looking like an afternoon where nothing is going to go Reading's way, no matter what they do.
  • 53
    Dean Whitehead did well to head clear another dangerous corner from James Harper as Reading filled the penalty area yet again.
  • 51
    Stephen Hunt crashes a twenty five yard strike off the post with Craig Gordon not having a chance of getting anywhere near it, brilliant from Hunt.
  • 50
    Sunderland have started the second half brightly and are playing positively and more directly when going forward.
  • 48
    Grant Leadbitter swung a wonderful free kick into the penalty area for Sunderland, which found Dwight Yorke at the back post and the Trinadadian needlessly borught the ball down with his arm and the referee blew for a free kick.
  • 47
    Ross Wallace is out warming up down the touchline already for Sunderland, with Roy Keane possibly signalling his intent for his side.
  • 46
    Sunderland win possession of the ball immediately but Dwight Yorke then gives the ball back with a sloppy pass.
  • 46
    Reading get the game back underway here at the Madjeski Stadium, with no half time substitutes by either side.
  • 45
    The half time whistle goes and the teams go into the break all square.
  • 45
    The fourth official indicates one minute of added time.
  • 44
    Sunderland are not helping themselves, they are defending a Reading free kick half way on the edge of their own penalty area and Reading continue to pressurise.
  • 42
    Reading win their third consecutive free kick inside two minutes and continue to put the away side under pressure, with Nicky Shorey and James Harper whipping in some brilliant deliveries.
  • 40
    Sunderland aren't showing any composure on the ball what so ever and will need to pick themselves up if they are going to get anything out of this game.
  • 38
    Grant Leadbitter recieves his fourth booking of the season after he lost possession in the middle of the park and committed a deliberate foul on Bobby Convey.
  • 36
    Kevin Doyle almost sneaked the ball inside the far post from six yards out, but his shot dribbled inches past the opposite side of the Gordon's up-right.
  • 34
    Sunderland are at panic stations in their own penalty area and look very unstable every time Reading get the ball in the danger area.
  • 32
    Daryll Murphy is the first player to go into the referee's notebook after a late challenge on his fellow countryman Stephen Hunt.
  • 30
    Nicky Shorey did well to win a corner for Reading, showing good persistance and determination to chase the ball down and play it off Whithead.
  • 28
    Sunderland have Craig Gordon to thank for keeping them in the game after a brilliant save to tip the ball onto the post from a Stephen Hunt header six yards out from goal.
  • 25
    Dwight Yorke is pulled back for deliberately handling the ball with his hand, and some how escapes without a yellow card.
  • 23
    Sunderland are putting Reading under some good pressure at the moment, and will most certainly be thinking about getting their first away win of the season if they carry on playing like this.
  • 21
    Danny Collins got forward with the ball down the right after overlapping Michael Chopra, but the defender's cross was poor and Hahnemann gathered with ease.
  • 19
    James Harper whipped in a dangerous inswinging corner from the right for Reading, which everyone watched fly accross the penalty area bar Paul McShane who rose highest to clear to safety.
  • 17
    Ivar Ingimarsson tried his luck with a lame right footed shot from the left side of the penalty area, but Gordon watched it wide.
  • 15
    Ibrahima Sonko commits a cynical foul on Cole and was lucky to get away without a yellow card from Steve Tanner.
  • 13
    Andrew Cole showed that he has a turn of pace as it looked like he broke the offside trap from Yorke's through pass, but the linesman put up a late flag much to the relief of Reading.
  • 11
    Dave Kitson tries to lob Craig Gordon ambitiously from twenty yards after the Scot made a very poor clearance from a goal kick.
  • 9
    Reading are putting Sunderland under some pressure at the minute, with Nicky Shorey getting forward down the left and peppering the penalty area with some crosses, but Craig Gordon and Danny Collins did well to ensure the ball was cleared to safety.
  • 7
    Dave Kitson almost curls a left footed shot into the top corner of the goal, but Craig Gordon watches it fly past his post.
  • 5
    Bobby Convey should of perhaps done a little bit better when he fired a shot at goal from just outside the area, but his effort went high and wide of the up-right.
  • 4
    Sunderland had their first chance of the game with Dwight Yorke finding Andrew Cole with a lovely pass, but Cole's effort was well saved by Marcus Hahnemann's feet.
  • 3
    Craig Gordon's confidence will be boosted as he came and collected Hunt's cross with some authority inside his penalty area.
  • 1
    Sunderland lose possession immediately as Dwight Yorke is easily ushered off the ball by Brynjar Gunnarsson and Reading start the game with some urgency.
  • 1
    Sunderland get the game underway at the Madjeski Stadium.
  • 0
    Steve Coppell will be relieved that Brynjar Gunnarsson has recovered from a knee injury sustained in last week's draw with Birmingham, however he is still without John Oster and Glen Little. Kevin Doyle and Dave Kitson are the pair that start up.
  • 0
    Sunderland Line-up: Gordon, Whitehead, McShane, Higginbotham, Collins, Chopra, Yorke, Leadbitter, Murphy, Jones, Cole
  • 0
    Reading Line-up: Hahnemann, Murty, Sonko, Ingimarsson, Shorey, Hunt, Harper, Gunnarsson, Convey, Doyle, Kitson
  • 0
    The referee today is Steve Tanner (Somerset).
  • 0
    Sunderland are still without Liam Miller who sits out the second of his three match ban for his sending off in the game at Chelsea, though Roy Keane is still without Russell Anderson and Kieran Richardson despite the pair returning to training.

Statistics

Reading
Shots on target 9
Shots off target 7
Shots off bar/post 1
Fouls 9
Offsides 1
Corners 7

Sunderland
Shots on target 5
Shots off target 4
Shots off bar/post 0
Fouls 17
Offsides 6
Corners 2

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