Royals Go For Record

Reading travel to Kenilworth Road for another Friday night clash, this time against a Luton Town side who will still think they have an outside hope of reaching the play off places despite Tuesday’s draw with Cardiff leaving them ten points adrift of the pack.

The Royals equalled Liverpool’s long-standing 33-game unbeaten run on Tuesday with the draw at Bramhall Lane, a win or draw at Kenilworth Road will see the Royals go one better and hold the record outright.

Vital Quotes:

Graeme Murty ? ic berkshire

‘Regardless of where we are, we’ve just got to keep pushing on, put the blinkers on and keep going.

‘We’ve 12 games left and we certainly don’t want to be drawing 11 of them and leaving it down to the last match.

‘We don’t want that added pressure on us. We want to continue playing with a high tempo like we have been and not to change anything that has served us so well so far.

‘Tuesday’s result was massive for us. It was two heavyweights slugging it out and we could have dealt the knockout blow at the end with the missed penalty.

‘But we still finished with our unbeaten record intact. I thought Sheffield played as well as they possibly can. They showed what a good team they are but so did we.

‘I thought it was a game between the best two teams in the division and to get a point from it was pleasing.

‘Now we’ve got to go to Luton and do the same again because they’re a very good side and won’t be afraid of us.’

Luton Town Team News:

Luton boss Mike Newell is sweating on the fitness of three players ahead of the clash with the Royals. There are doubts over defender Chris Coyne (knee), midfielder Paul Underwood (hip) and striker Warren Feeney (groin), but they are not ruled out.

Definitely missing from the side will be midfielder David Bell, he has only just joined the club from Rushden and Diamonds but could be out for the rest of the campaign after damaging knee ligaments at Preston.
Keith Keane is on international duty with Ireland

Player to watch: Steve Howard

Top scorer who hasn’t scored for four games so is due a goal.

Reading Team News:

Brynjar Gunnarsson is available again after suspension and Leroy Lita is back after missing the game at Sheffield with a facial injury.

There are no new injuries and suspensions so Steve Coppell has a fully fit squad to choose from.

Player to watch: Dave Kitson

Come on, you know all about him.

Match Facts & Stats

Last time the two clubs met was 3rd December when the Royals won the game 3-0 at the Mad Stad, on target was Steve Sidwell, Dave Kitson and Kevin Doyle.

Luton have won two of their last six home games, they have lost three and drawn the other. In that space of time they have netted 14 goals and conceded 13.

The Hatters sit in tenth position in the league with their 34 games giving them 45 points.

Reading’s last six games on the road have produced one win, four draws and a defeat, they have scored ten goals and let in ten.

Reading well out in front of the Coca Cola Championship, with their 34 games bringing in 83 points.

Ref Watch:

Kevin Wright – Cambridgeshire.

He has been in charge of 24 games this season, in that time he has given out 79 yellow cards and sent five players off.

Match Prediction:

Away win, the lads deserve this record.

Next Fixtures:

League Championship Reading vs Preston 25-02-2006
League Championship Burnley vs Reading 04-03-2006