13 Points Clear!

Reading went 13 points clear of Sheffield United by beating Southampton 2-0 at the Mad Stad tonight, but Southampton didn?t exactly roll over for the Royals.


Before the game there was a minutes silence to honour Ron Greenwood and it was impeccably observed.

Reading went straight for the throat from the kick off giving the Saints no time to settle and if Lita could have had a little more luck with the ball played in from Convey, there may have been an early goal to celebrate.

Hahnemann was forced into making a save from Peter Madsen inside the area, he pushed the initial effort up into the air and then caught the ball safely as it came down, the keeper was then bundled into the net but still managed to prevent the ball crossing the line just in case.

A quickly taken corner saw Sonko rise and head the ball towards the goal but it was blocked on the line by a defender just as Reading looked to be going one up.

The goal that was threatening to come came on sixteen minutes and it was made out of nothing by Glen Little. Nathan Dyer looked to have a ball that was played into the box under control but he hesitated too long and Little nicked the ball from him and sent a low cross across the six yard box where Leroy Lita scored from close range.

At the other end Southampton showed that they hadn?t come just to make up the numbers when Rasiak picked up a cross and beat his marker before badly misfiring with the goal at his mercy.

Then Reading had a good shout for a penalty when Convey powered in a shot at goal and the ball struck the outstretched arm of Ostlund. It was the type of penalty you see given every Saturday at grounds up and down the country but on this occasion referee D?Urso said no.

Then after being involved in a penalty call at one end, Ostund then got on the end of a cross at the other end and hit the Royals post with a header.

Then another goal came from nothing. A long ball forward from Hahnemann was picked up by Doyle outside the Southampton area; he controlled the ball well, found himself a bit of shooting space and took a pot at the keeper?s near post beating him with a low shot.



Reading: Hahnemann, Murty, Shorey, Sonko, Ingimarsson, Harper, Sidwell, Little, Convey (Hunt 81), Doyle, Lita (Kitson 75)

Subs not Used: Stack, Gunnarsson, Oster, Hunt

Southampton: Bialkowski, Ostlund, Higginbotham, Lundekvam (c), Powell, Chaplow, Wright, Potter, Dyer (Surman 69), Madsen (Jones 81), Rasiak

Subs not Used: Smith, Baird, Blackstock