Reading are back in FA Cup action this weekend as they look to put together another cup run after last season's visit to Wembley in the Semi-Final. In Reading's way of a place in round five are League One Walsall who put out Championship Brentford in the last round with a 1-0 away victory. Reading needed a replay to eventually overcome ten man Huddersfield at home, coming from 0-2 down to win 5-2. Reading are mid-table, and out of form, and the visitors are flying high in League One - they are in third place and just a point outside the automatic promotion places. Both teams will fancy their chances, and an away win would hardly register as a shock. However this a great opportunity to make it count and progress in the competition.
Reading and Walsall fixtures are traditionally dull. The last five meetings of the two sides have returned just five goals. That average of a single goal in each match is probably a fair reflection of the entertainment served up in those matches. Out of those five games there have been four draws, which has included two games without a goal, and one single goal victory for Walsall. Two of those draws were in the FA Cup third round, and one was really a defeat after Walsall dumped the Royals out of the cup after a penalty shoot out at the Madejski.
The last time the two sides met was over 12 years ago in Division One - a 1-1 away draw. The home game that season was the 0-1 reverse, where the majority of the 11,225 fans had to be woken up at full time to leave the Madejski Stadium. Both sets of fans will be hoping for a fixture that goes against the trend tomorrow afternoon, as Reading hope to build a cup run to distract from what has been a disappointing league campaign. There may have been high hopes at the start of the season but now Reading fans are resigned to mid-table, with the FA Cup the only chance of generating any excitement this term.
Brian McDermott should have options in defence with both Paul McShane and Michael Hector expected to be available for selection. George Evans, who started for the Royals last weekend, has already appeared for Walsall in the FA Cup this season and will be unavilable for selection. McDermott is expected to field a strong first choice side in an attempt to win at the first attempt.
Reading Hope For Cup Run As Walsall Visit
From the Discussion
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SU Sutekh 20 Jan 2016 · 11:00am
Now we're through we concentrate more fully on this one. Awful tie for both sides though both will see it as winnable. I always recall games with Walsall as being awkward, dour, non spectacular and about as much worth watching as a crack in the pavement. The last time we played them in the FA Cup back in 2003 was a dreadfully dull awful replay and we got beaten on penalties, all after a particularly dull awful 0-0 at their place, (that defeat was followed by an equally dull awful 0-0 in the league with them on the Saturday after) Since we moved to the Mad Stad we've played 11 games in total against them and won only 2, both at the…
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WR Winchester Royal 20 Jan 2016 · 11:07am
I remember going up to the Bescot, quite early in a Division 2 season, when they were top and we were second. We had a perfectly good goal ruled out, apparently because Martin Butler was climbing on somebody's back. They then scored two goals and Jimmy Mcintyre got a 90th minute consolation. We then lost to them in the playoff final. Somebody crocked Tony Rougier and Howard Webb did nothing about it. I recall him having only reffed a handful of league games at that pint. A couple of years later, we'd lost three consecutive games 3-0, to Palace, Stoke and Wimbledon. The next game was away at Walsall and we had no confidence at all.…
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OU Ouroboros 20 Jan 2016 · 11:34am
There was an entertaining home 2-2 in the run up to that play-off defeat. They were quite handy that season. Can't quite believe this all happened 15 years ago.
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RG RG30 20 Jan 2016 · 11:54am
I'm looking forward to seeing Ray Graydon Zigor Aranalde Jimmy Walker Jorge Leitão Darren Byfield Don Goodman Colin Lee Paul Merson Simon Osborn
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LW LWJ 20 Jan 2016 · 11:58am
Wouldn't mind a draw in the home tie and then an away fixture
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LU LUX 20 Jan 2016 · 12:00pm
Stick your memories and thoughts on Walsall below. OK, all from memory. First or second home game 1976-77 season. Old division 3, just having gone up from the fourth tier. We won 2-1, after Alan Buckley had given them the lead in front of me on the Tilehurst end terrace. We lost the away match 6-1 at Fellows Park- I did not go to that one, but bought the programme at the following home match. We got relegated. Happy days.
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CO CountryRoyal 20 Jan 2016 · 12:04pm
You can see one of their stands really clearly from the M6. That's about all I can comment on Walsall.
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WI wiggso 20 Jan 2016 · 12:05pm
I remember going up to the Bescot, quite early in a Division 2 season, when they were top and we were second. We had a perfectly good goal ruled out, apparently because Martin Butler was climbing on somebody's back. They then scored two goals and Jimmy Mcintyre got a 90th minute consolation. We then lost to them in the playoff final. Somebody crocked Tony Rougier and Howard Webb did nothing about it. I recall him having only reffed a handful of league games at that pint. A couple of years later, we'd lost three consecutive games 3-0, to Palace, Stoke and Wimbledon. The next game was away at Walsall and we had no confidence at all.…