Match Review: What time is it? Its Reading time!

With many thanks to our upcoming writer and Reading fan Andrew Wearing, we have another superb, in-depth match review of our recent victory over Sunderland…..

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Jeff Stelling summed up our recent goal scoring antics nicely on Soccer Saturday, when he reacted to Reading going 2-1 up against Sunderland with the goal coming on the 85th minute.

Teams:

Reading: Federici, Pearce, Mariappa, Kelly, Harte, Leigertwood, McAnuff, Kebe, Akpan, Pogrebnyak, and McCleary.
Subs: Taylor, Shorey, Morrison, Karacan, Guthrie, Le Fondre, Blackman.

Sunderland: Mignolet, O`Shea, Bramble, N`Diaye, Larsson, Colback, Gardner, Colback, Vaughan, Johnson, Sessegnon and Fletcher.
Subs: Westwood, Bardsley, Rose, Mangane, McClean Graham and Wickham.

Reading started the better of the two teams and after a period of dominance, Reading made Sunderland pay for failing to deal with a continuous phase of Reading pressure. McCleary on the left played a delightful ball over the Sunderland defence, McAnuff latched onto the ball and crossed into Kebe, who was given too much space and Kebe then slotted the ball passed the stranded Mignolet in the Sunderland goal. This was Kebe`s third goal of the season. Sunderland fans must have wished Kebe had signed for Newcastle. Reading continued their dominance but were unable to find that elusive second goal, Reading were then made to pay when Pogrebnyak slid in on O`Shea in the penalty area and Lee Mason pointed to the spot. Gardner stepped up and slotted calmly to Federici`s right hand side. It was a clear penalty and a bad striker`s challenge after Pogrebnyak had lost the ball.

Reading and Sunderland were both struggling to get a foot hold in the second half and McDermott reacted by bringing on goal scoring hero Adam Le Fondre and new signing Nick Blackman, who had recently signed for £1.2million from Sheffield United. O`Neil brought on debutant Danny Graham and it almost proved decisive when he met Adam Johnson`s cross at the far post only to be blocked by Stephen Kelly. Then Graham forced Federici into a great stop, where he rose above everyone in the box but he directed his header straight at Federici. It looked like Graham was trying to take Le Fondre`s spot as an impact sub.

However after a period of Sunderland dominance, Reading made Sunderland pay when Nick Blackman did brilliantly to get a free kick just outside the penalty area, to the right and Ian Harte delivered one of his trademark free kicks, Kebe met the ball and headed it past Mignolet in the Sunderland goal. Kebe had doubled his goal tally for the season and delivered a suck punch to Martin O`Neil`s side, who could of easily snatched all three points.

My man of the match was Adrian Mariappa. Mariappa has been absolutely brilliant this season and has done all his work outside of the media spot like. Mariappa, for a small centre back easily beat the Sunderland attackers to the ball, a majority of the time and provided a good amount of blocks. Therefore Mariappa was my Man Of The Match. Akpan was another play who stood out. Akpan, who was signed from Crawley for £300,000 was brilliant on his first Premier League start. He is strong, pacey and has a very very bright future in the blue and white hoops.