Out of curiosity I looked back at my opening comment in my match report for the corresponding fixture last season. Interestingly it began '...At the final whistle a scuffle broke out on the halfway line...' I summarised the match as '...a scrappy ill-tempered affair...' The match was punctuated by fouls at a rate of one every three minutes and the award of five City yellow cards. I also noted the referee failed to take control of the game despite City receiving five yellow cards as '...Players were allowed steal a few yards at most throw-ins, a blatant dive went unpunished, and an injured City player took over a minute to meander off the pitch instead of leaving at the nearest point...'

This week, although the teams shared four goals, there was a strong resemblance to the mood of last season's encounter. Since only six of the players in City's squad remained from last year, and the recent arrival of a new manager at Reading and significant changes in their squad, it seems extremely likely the only constant remaining significant factor influencing tactics would appear to be the leadership of City manager Gary Caldwell. Referee Brakespear was incredibly lenient with City's time-wasting and blatant foul play throughout. His management of the stoppages for injuries, and the treatment (or lack of it), was extremely poor as indicated by the eleven minutes of added stoppage time in a match where no serious injuries were sustained.

After fourteen minutes Reading paid a heavy price for leaving Cole unmarked at the far post from a corner who given time and space to drill a ball across the six-yard box which struck Sweeney and was defected past Pereira to give City an undeserved early lead. A kind of natural justice was served when, after constant City time-wasting, Reading equalised in first half stoppage time. It was undoubtedly the best goal of the match. Keane finished a sweeping move calmly volleying past Whitworth from Roberts' excellent cross. Keane deserved his goal having worked hard to provide passing options around the edge of the box without reward. Unfortunately for Reading, a weary looking Wing was struggling to find the usual quality with his passing.

City continued to try to disrupt the flow of the game in the second half until they fell behind in the seventy-fifth minute Wing when delivered an excellent fee-kick into the City box and O'Connor beat Whitworth with a superb cushioned close-range volley.

Due to a ludicrous amount of stoppage time, Reading were required to defend their slender lead for further twenty-six minutes. It was almost inevitable City should equalise with a deflected Woodhouse strike from outside the box.

Marriott had a chance to earn Reading all three points but his attempt, although heading for the bottom corner lacked the power to beat Whitworth and he managed to push the ball past the upright for a corner.

Reading have now dropped four points in their recent winnable two home games. These were not poor performances, and the new signings have added something positive the squad, but more care with passing and a little more urgency going forward and could keep our interest in promotion alive a bit longer.

John Wells