Stalemate At The Madejski

The Royals fell two places in the league this weekend, as they failed to make home advantage count against a Portsmouth side whose form has stuttered as of late, as a disjointed and frustrating encounter ended in stalemate.

There`s no taking away from the fact though, that Steve Coppell`s Reading have made a remarkable start to their voyage into the top-flight. With eight games to go in their maiden Premiership campaign, the Royals find themselves occupying a comfortable eighth in the league, with talk of European qualification still apparent amongst pundits and supports despite the recent leap-frogging by both Everton and our next opponents Tottenham.

The opening period of the game only fuelled the suggestion that the Royals would hang on to their current berth of sixth in the league. With a much needed fortnight off following a disappointing run of defeats, the hooped-jerseys of blue and white came out of the traps signalling their obvious intent.

Three dangerous crosses from wide areas penetrated the area of our South-coast visitors, but the resolute defence of both Sol Campbell, and former Reading man Linvoy Primus, stood firm as they dealt with the early onslaught.

In only the third minute though, Reading should have arguably put themselves ahead, courtesy of Leroy Lita.

The exciting young striker showed incredible anticipation as he read an attempted header back to David James from Portsmouth right-back Glen Johnson. Lita raced onto the loose ball in quick time, but the ball never really fell for him and Primus managed to get a toe in as he allowed the ball to come across his body before attempting to shoot.

At the other end of the field a headed clearance by Michael Duberry, making his Madejski Stadium debut, fell kindly to Arnold Mvuemba who was loitering outside the Reading eighteen-yard line.

The midfielder, on-loan from French side Rennes and making his first start for Pompey, drilled a shot that arrowed just over Marcus Hahnemann`s crossbar.

At this stage the game seemed evenly balanced, with neither team showing apprehension towards attack, but both defences standing firm in response.

With his back to goal, Stephen Hunt, who had tried the same move only moments earlier, showed incredible skill to catch a high ball and juggle it in the air before whipping in an enticing cross over his right shoulder.

Dave Kitson, who was making his first league start at the Madejski Stadium since the opening day, arrived in the six-yard box at speed but was unable to turn the ball past David James at his near post, as the Portsmouth stopper showed quick reflexes to collect the flick-on.

Then the lanky frame of winger Glen Little nodded wide at the near post following another cross from the left, as the Royals upped the tempo in search of an opening goal.

However, it was Pompey themselves who came closest to pencilling in on the scoreboard as Gary O`Neil, rumoured to be a Reading target, hit a sensational curling 20-yard volley that dipped just inches over the crossbar in the twenty-third minute.

After an exciting and positive opening spell, both teams seemed to go off the boil as they simultaneously failed to keep possession and a scrappy period entered the game.

James Harper tried to luck from 25-yards but his speculative shot was spooned well wide of David James goal.

As the half-time whistle approached, only a brilliant last-ditch saving tackle from Sol Campbell denied Dave Kitson the chance to put his team in front going into the break.

The ball was played into Kitson from the left by Nicky Shorey, and he showed incredible awareness to back-heel a pass around the corner and into his strike partner, Leroy Lita. Primus was closely marking the striker, so Lita fed Stephen Hunt on the touchline who played the ball back inside to the advancing Kitson.

The former England centre-back Campbell then came from nowhere as Kitson was about to pull the trigger, and the towering defender slid the ball out for a corner to deny the Royals what would have been an incredibly well-worked goal.

Kitson was again at the heart of a sensation move down the left, and again Sol Campbell was his team`s hero as he cut out the cross. From the resulting corner, Stephen Hunt found the head of Steve Sidwell at the far post, but the commanding midfielder headed wide despite getting up well.

Portsmouth started the second half the stronger, and Reading almost gifted them a couple of opportunities on goal after poor attempted clearances by both Hahnemann and Duberry, but fortunately Gary O`Neil was crowded out by the defence on both occasions.

James Harper found himself darting into a one-on-one situation with David James, but the day`s official, referee Steve Bennett, pulled the play back for a supposed foul by Leroy Lita on Sol Campbell. The decision looked thoroughly questionable, and much to the Reading faithful`s disgust, the home side were robbed of a clear opportunity to take the lead.

At this point the game was rather scrappy, and it looked as if the first goal would be the only goal, whoever may get it. Neither team were playing particularly well on the offence, and both defences were giving little away in terms of clear-cut chances.

Benjani managed to find half a yard of space inside the Reading penalty area, and from a tight angle he thundered an angled drive towards the near post. Hahnemann was alert though, and the American goalkeeper`s strong hands pushed the ball behind for a flag kick.

Irishman Stephen Hunt had a decent chance from a corner with only twenty-five minutes left on the clock, and he seemed composed enough to pick his spot rather than to just hit and hope, but his measured effort was still high of the crossbar.

Portsmouth won a free-kick in a very good position just outside the Royals box on seventy minutes, and Niko Kranjcar`s was unfortunate to see his low curling effort narrowly evade the upright.

In an effort to try and freshen things up and perhaps steal the three points at the death, Kevin Doyle was introduced by Steve Coppell with fifteen minutes remaining. He was immediately involved, as he used his strength to get onto the end of a hopeful punt forward and feed Glen Little.

Little took a touch to set himself before delivering a near-perfect centre across the face of the Portsmouth goal mouth. With Kitson eagerly awaiting the chance to apply a simple finish, David James flung himself at the cross to intervene and push the ball to safety.

Richard Hughes was desperately unlucky to not have snatch maximum points for his visiting side, as he struck a post from fully 30-yards out.

A loose ball rebounded into his path, and he struck a sweet first-time effort that thundered towards goal, moving in the air as it travelled. Marcus Hahnemann was comfortably beaten, but fortunately for him he was able to turnaround to see the ball cannon back off of the upright.

Greg Halford was introduced with only a minute to go, but his only touch came when the ball was already ruled to have left the field of play.

Both teams went for it in the closing stages, but neither side was capable of mounting a clinical offence. A scrappy game ended in a goalless draw, which was probably what was deserved given the respective performances on the day.