McAnuff inspires Royals win at Hillsborough

Reading recorded a morale boosting win at Sheffield Wednesday thanks to second half goals from Grzegorz Rasiak and Kalifa Cisse, but it was winger Jobi McAnuff that inspired this away win setting up both goals.


Brendan Rodgers made a couple of changes to the side that lost to Derby last weekend, but it wasn`t Jem Karacan who replaced Brian Howard. Instead he opted for Kalifa Cisse, and also brought in Grzegorz Rasiak for Jimmy Kebe, which meant Simon Church would play wide left of the attacking three.

The first half was end to end and both sides were working hard but chances were few and far between, with Tommy Spurr`s long throw causing the only real problems for the Royals defence. There was a blow when Church was forced off, and replaced by Kebe and we had chances with Sigurdsson and Rasiak going close but at the break we went in 0-0.

The second half started with the Royals on top and it was Vital Reading`s November player of the month, Jobi McAnuff, who was causing all the problems and he created two chances for Rasiak inside the opening three minutes of the half. By the fourth minute of the half though we were ahead and it was no surprise when the two combined again, McAnuff floating a great cross in and Rasiak met it with a decent header into the corner.

Rasiak continued to cause problems for the Owls defence and he should have had another when Jay Tabb crossed and the Polish striker found himself totally unmarked inside the area but he could only head straight at the keeper.

Wednesday were still a threat though and they gave the Royals a real scare when Luke Varney hit the inside of the post and the ball somehow stayed out after rolling along the goal line, giving Adam Federici a real scare. Soon after Rodgers decided to shore up the midfield, bringing on the more defensive minded Brynjar Gunnarsson for Sigurdsson.

The veteran Icelandic midfielder was involved in the second goal, and what a fantastic team goal it was. McAnuff took Gunnarsson`s pass and played a lovely one two with Marek Matejovsky before squaring to the onrushing Cisse who score his first goal of the season.

There was even time for Rasiak to test the Wednesday keeper again, and he really could have had a hat trick but had to settle for one. However this was a fine win for the Royals and one which sets us up nicely for the visit of Crystal Palace on Tuesday night.