MATCH REPORT: 2007/2008 Season

23 August 2008: CHAMPIONSHIP
CHARLTON 4 READING 2
goals
Reading: Sonko (45 mins, Stephen Hunt (54 mins, pen).
Charlton: Holland (26 mins), Gray (42 mins, pen), Varney (69 mins), Bouazza (72 mins)
Half Time: 2-1
Attendance: 20,020

CHAMPIONSHIP 26 Aug 2008
Pos Team P Pts GD
11 Sheff Wed 3 4 0
12 READING 3 4 0
13 Watford 3 4 0
teams
Reading: Hahnemann, Rosenior, Sonko, Ingimarsson, Stephen Hunt, Kebe, Harper, Cisse, Convey (Noel Hunt 73), Doyle (Long 78), Lita (Pearce 85). Subs Not Used: Federici, Kelly.
Charlton: Weaver, Moutaouakil (Semedo 89), Hudson, Fortune, Basey, Sam (Ambrose 82), Bailey, Holland, Bouazza, Varney, Gray. Subs Not Used: Elliot, Shelvey, Dickson.
bookings
Reading: Sonko, Noel Hunt. Sent Off: Sonko (84 mins).
Charlton: Bouazza.
Ref: Lee Mason (Lancashire).
report
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FANS' POST MATCH OPINION

Hunger and desire as shown by Noel Hunt when he came on is what we require. Arguably it's what we lost when Sidwell left because we've been on a downward curve for 12 months now. Too much talk of signings and very little action - the world is passing Hammond and Coppell by - it''s been obvious for 12 months that we'd need to repalce Shorey, we haven't, Steve Hunt isn't a left back and we lose something when he's not further forward. So we have a week until the window shuts, we've been relegated for months and this is how we prepare for the new season?
I don't see the passion required and that's a downside from having a core team remaining i.e. do they really want to do it all over again. Decent not silly cash for Doyle and Harper, then re-invest it, might not be such a bad idea. Bikey coming back will help but we need him in midfield not full back.
3 years ago no one saw us coming, that's not the case now, so sitting off the ball and not putting pressure on it, is going to do us no favours. For now we are a scalp to have, so get used to teams raising their game against us, what are we doing in response?.
And when it comes to transfer inactivity, look at Sunderand, they're doing what we should have done a year ago - have we not learned the lessons? If you always do what you always did, you always get what you always got...except others that act, pass you by
Nick, Tilehurst.

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QUOTES FROM THE PRESS

THERE are some games that fly by. And then there are those that rocket past at the pace of a Jamaican sprinter. Those who say the Championship is a sterile bastion of mediocrity should have been at the Valley yesterday for a humdinger of a fixture that was so full of incident it could have filled the pages of a Harry Potter sequel.
The drama - which included six goals, three penalties (one of which was retaken), a sending-off, top-drawer finishing and dozens of chances - could not disguise the quality of an encounter that is surely an early contender for the division’s match of the season.
... Reading have the class and organisation to make an immediate return to the Premier League but they were torn to shreds by the verve and pace of the home side.

The Times