Match Report: 2009/2010 Season

17 February 2010: Championship
CRYSTAL PALACE 1 READING 3
goals
Reading: Church (23 mins, 81 mins), Kebe (47 mins).
C Palace: Scannell (55 mins).
Half Time: 0-1
Attendance: 13,259

CHAMPIONSHIP 17 Feb 2010
Pos Team P Pts GD
17 Scunthorpe 31 36 -19
18 READING 30 35 -12
19 QPR 30 34 -7
teams
Reading: Federici, Mills, Griffin, Bertrand, Khizanishvili, McAnuff, Howard (Sigurdsson, 76), Kebe, Karacan, Gunnarsson, Church (Robson-Kanu, 89) Subs not used: Rasiak, Thorvaldsson, Hamer, Cisse, Pearce.
Crystal Palace: Speroni, Hill, Butterfield, Davis, Ertl, Clyne, Ambrose, Carle (N'Diaye, 63), Derry, Danns (Scannell, 43), Andrew (Lee, 46) Subs not used: Lawrence, Hills, Djilali, Mann.
bookings
Reading: Griffin.
Crystal Palace: Davis, Scannell.
Ref: D Whitestone (Northampton)
report
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FANS' POST MATCH OPINION

Perfect away performance. Soak up some pressure at the start (with the help of some world class saves from the budgie), score against the run of play, bore the home team to tears for the rest of the first half, score with the first attack of the 2nd half, let them back into it to make sure the fans aren't too comfortable, soak up and nullify any pressure and then get a third towards the end meaning we have 10 minutes of not worrying. Glad we stood all game, good atmosphere and only player who was average was howard - everyone else excellent. A mention for Gunnar and Jem they're starting to look a decent combination and are perfectly suited to play as the two defensive midfielders. That said there were alot of shots from outside the box last night so possible playing too deep? Also glad Jimmy was pushed over to the fans by McDermott (a former winger himself) to get the applause. He was excellent but I'm just waiting for the Blackpool game where he doesn't score for the whingers to come out in force once again. McAnuff a tad quiet but then he set up the first so fair play as he was getting booed by some of the Palace fans.
Carlos

Very, very pleased. Again solid, again classy in parts, and we're scoring. Tenacious performance, everyone played well I thought, all played their part. About 1500 RFC fans in good voice, very good atmosphere and the feeling is good. Positive chanting about Kebe, blimey o'reilly! Totally deserved, always knew he could play. The BR disaster has now been truly blown away. McDermott has a good thing going on right now!
ReddingBedding

Every player deserves credit tonight. A well deserved win Kebe, Griffin (see below) and Gunnar outstanding again, although thats unfair on the rest I supppose. The only down side was the defending/keeping for their goal (Because it was against the run of play)and we all stood still. The other moment of concern was that I thought we would lose Griffin for a needless, poor tackle on the thug that is Alan Lee towards the end of the game He escaped with a yellow for a poor, poor challlenge. The Griff was lucky because we could easily of lost him for three games. That aside an excellent show with tremendous suppport.
Short and Curly

Superb stuff all round. The players had a blinder and McDermott had a blinder - tactics perfect. Echoing what several have already said, nobody less than a 7 all night, with about half the team deserving an 8. A special mention for Jimmy Kebe who was superb, absolutely superb. Great bit of man management from McDermott when he brought Kebe over for special applause, clearly recognises he is an instinctive, confidence player and has told him to play as such - not confused him with a "world class model". Interestingly, bumped into Jay Tabb at Clapham Junction station who echoed this. McDermott has got them back to basics and has everybody enjoying their football. Read this as - Rodgers confused the hell out of everyone and McDermott is a straight talking top man.
The Goat Was Fed

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QUOTES FROM THE PRESS

Simon Church scored twice as Reading moved clear of the relegation zone and turned up the heat on Crystal Palace. The visitors went ahead when Church's volley hit the turf and bounced over Palace keeper Julian Speroni. Jimmy Kebe sidefooted in the second just after half-time, before Sean Scannell headed in Darren Ambrose's corner to give Palace hope. But Matt Mills teed up Church's second to leave Palace out of the drop zone on goal difference only.

Reading boss Brian McDermott:
"I'm pleased with our performance because this is a tough, tough place to come. Simon Church got two goals but the whole squad stepped up tonight. We're proud as a group of our run but the players are the ones who have to play and compete - and they are playing some good football too."

Crystal Palace boss Neil Warnock:
"I don't enjoy losing - I've still gone in to see the ref tonight and tried to educate him, they were conning fouls. Goals change games and you can't legislate for schoolboy defending like we showed. If we defend like we did tonight we won't beat anybody."
Good old Colin!