Sid Runs Riot Over Villa

A statistic that came to light before this game was that the Royals had not recorded a win over their opponents for 95 years, but a battling performance ensured that this somewhat unwanted record would be put to bed.

A brace from dynamic midfielder Steve Sidwell was the difference between the scores, and the second in particular came from some quick passing and the interchanging of positions between players.

The win cements the fact that, on form alone, Reading are the best team in the country since the turn of the year and continues an unbeaten run that stretches back to the 6-0 demolition of West Ham United on New Years Day.

However, the visitors started the match as the stronger side, and came close when their recent signing, John Carew, smashed an early shot into the side netting after a clever through-ball allowed him to get onto the wrong side of the Royals defence.

The towering Carew turned provider moments later, when fellow new boy Ashley Young met his dangerous cross. Luckily for him, the linesman`s flag was raised for offside as his weak free-header caused American goalkeeper Marcus Hahnemann no problems, and thus saved his blushes.

Martin O`Neill`s Villa have not been the best of travellers recently, and have lost their last four games on opposing soil. This soon became evident as the Royals pushed on and began to take a firm foothold on the game. Steve Sidwell saw his first chance fly off target as he rose well to meet a Glen Little free-kick at the back post, but couldn`t keep his header down under pressure from Gavin McCann.

Ashley Young should have again done better shortly after, as Gareth Barry’s superb left-wing cross found him in the box, but the England Under-21 international`s header was once again poor.

In the 16th minute, however, the deadlock was broken. Glen Little won his side a corner, and Irishman Stephen Hunt whipped in an enticing delivery towards the near post. Some clever movement by James Harper allowed his midfield colleague in Sidwell to ghost in and meet the cross with a glancing header. The ball took a slight deflection from the visitor`s loan signing from Manchester United, Phil Bardsley, and gave Thomas Sorenson absolutely no chance in the Villa goal, such was the close proximity of the effort.

The goal was reward for some increasing pressure for the Madejski Stadium outfit, and the score could have been stretched further when Sorenson reacted smartly to a powerful header by the in-form Leroy Lita. The increasingly impressive Glen Little delivered the perfect cross from the right after beating Gareth Barry, but unfortunately Lita`s powerful bullet-header was directed straight at the Villain`s stopper.

Reading were getting untold crosses into the box, with a Hunt delivery ending up inches away from Sidwell at the back post. Sidwell was, on occasions, in a great position to apply a finish but his teammates failed to pick him out inside the area.

Villa took some time to recover from the blow of conceding, but had chances to get back on level terms and should have equalised before the break.

Firstly Young lashed wide after great hold-up play by Carew, while Shaun Maloney’s drilled shot from outside the area was acrobatically tipped over by Marcus Hahnemann.

The visitors continued to pile on the pressure and after Reading failed to clear a corner, Stilian Petrov found Carew with a neat through-ball, but the Norwegian’s snap-shot was saved again by Hahnemann.

The Royals had the ball in the back of the net for a second time shortly after the interval when Sorensen spilled the ball under pressure from Sidwell, but referee Mark Clattenburg correctly deemed the Dane to have been fouled in the process, and awarded a free-kick.

Martin O’Neill’s team were doing a lot of pressing, and it was Ashley Young who had most of the sights of goal but couldn’t find the target. Young created a sight of goal when he controlled Petrov’s mis-hit shot, although from a central position he lashed his left-footed effort well wide of Hahnemann’s goal.

Carew and Andre Bikey were enjoying an ongoing physical tussle when Villa attacked, and the Cameroonian was more than up to the task as he continually frustrated the Norwegian with a number of interceptions and well timed challenges.

The visitors came very close on the hour mark when Young’s shot deflected off Carew and onto the post. Gabriel Agbonlahor followed in on the rebound, but Hahnemann was on hand to react well and close out the danger.

The hosts were being restricted to half chances down the opposite end, and Lita was crowded out after substitute Dave Kitson released him with a lovely flicked header with his first touch.

In the 81st minute, the Royals really should have made the game safe. A brilliant quick kick from Hahnemann released another substitute in John Oster to advance down the right.

The Welshman played a low ball across the face for Kitson, but he couldn’t get enough on a very good chance. It fortunately ran for Lita, and it looked for all the world that he would score, but his touch was poor and Villa had been given a real let-off by some profligate finishing as Sorenson mopped up.

Patrik Berger was introduced and gave Villa some impetus, but Reading stood firm.

A Villa onslaught was expected in the last few minutes, but it was the Royals who added a second in injury time.

A beautiful one-two saw Kitson release Sidwell inside the area, and he planted home a lovely side-footed finish to settle any nerves.

Sidwell still had time to shoot from 25 yards for his hat-trick, but it was comfortably saved and Reading took all three points with an efficient, disciplined and hard-working performance.

A record Madejski Stadium crowd of 24,122 watched the game.