News and Views

Reading Pick Up Pace Towards Championship

08 December 2012
By Hob Nob Anyone?

Reading travelled to Southampton in a critical game in what is becoming a desperate battle for survival - and were well beaten in another disappointing performance. This was Reading's fourth straight league defeat and leaves them six points adrift of safety as Reading. It was the third game from the last four in which we were meeting a team immediately next to us at the bottom of the table. We've lost all of those. Next up is Sunderland, who have slipped into the bottom three after a poor run comparable to the Royals. A defeat there will surely be fatal and set Reading up for an immediate return to the Championship.

Reading were second best throughout the game today. Southampton started the better side and continued like that throughout the game. It took a couple of good saves from Federici and a goal bizarrely ruled out to keep Reading in the game. However, Reading might have gone in a goal up at the break when Robson-Kanu's effort his the post. Reading briefly showed some signs of life but failed to trouble the home goalkeeper and found themselves on the backfoot again until Puncheon beat Federici to make it 0-1 on the hour. McDermott threw on three substitutes to try and make an impression on the game but Southampton were comfortable for their victory.

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