Nationwide League Division Two - Saturday 15th January, 2000
Cambridge
United (4-4-2): Marshall, Kavanagh, Eustace, McNeil, Wilson
(Joseph 88'); Mackenzie (Taylor 67'), Ashbee, Wanless, Russell; Butler,
Benjamin. Reading:
Howie, Polston, Gray (Sarr 74'), Parkinson, Primus, Caskey, Scott (Forster
46'), Williams, Gurney, Bernal, Nicholls.
Referee: Phil Richards (Preston)
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This was a dire contest between two sides struggling at the wrong end of Division Two and a point each does neither side any favours, but it did produce United's first away clean sheet in the League this season. As expected there was just one change to the starting eleven today as skipper Paul Wanless replaced the injured Neil Mustoe in midfield, and the match kicked off in cold, breezy conditions. The Madejski Stadium looked very impressive despite the small crowd but the pitch surface cut up very early on. Reading started the better although neither side looked very positive in an edgy contest that neither could afford to lose. After just two minutes Williams set up Scott who fired a 20 yard drive past the post and after eight Mark Nicholls, on loan from Chelsea, hoisted a cross into the box that was dropped by Shaun Marshall under pressure from Williams. However Jason Kavanagh tidied up by walking the ball off the line and to safety. Then in the twelfth minute Martin Butler and Neil Mackenzie linked well before Mackenzie saw Kavanagh on the overlap, but a Reading defender slid in to intercept the pass. Moments later Mackenzie intercepted Caskey and burst down the right into the area, but with Butler in support he dallied too long and his eventual cross was easily cut out. Reading had the ball in the net in the 14th minute but Andy Gurney's chance was ruled out for offside. The only booking of the game came after 22 minutes when Primus was penalised for stamping on Butler but the U's got stronger as the half progressed and ended looking the better of the two sides. On the half hour a cross from Kavanagh was almost taken in his stride by Alex Russell as he surged into the box, but the ball just ran away from him before he could get the shot in. In the 36th minute Russell's corner was met by Eustace whose firm header was well held by Scott Howie. The late pressure continued and in the 39th minute Butler set up Mackenzie who stabbed a tame shot straight at the goalkeeper, then three minutes later Benjamin set up Butler who cut into the area before curling a shot just wide, much to Howie's relief. In the 45th minute Benjamin got into the area and looked to have a shooting chance, but instead he chose to tee it up for Butler and the delay allowed a defender to nip in and clear the ball. Two minutes of added time were indicated and in the second of those Benjamin set up Mackenzie for a shot from the edge of the box but it was blocked away for a corner. Then in the fourth minute of added time, and as supporters whistled in vain, Reading had their best chance when Williams caused havoc in the United area before the ball was scuffed away for a corner. At last taking heed of his watch, the referee conceded there was no time for it to be taken! United had improved as the half went on while Reading looked a side bereft of confidence. Paul Wanless was clearly trying to run off a knock as the half ended while David Preece warmed up. (Half-time 0-0) Reading sent on substitute Nicky Forster at the start of the second half and he made an instant impression, lifting the Reading attack, and just four minutes in a free kick was tapped to Gray 25 yards out and his kick was deflected wide. In the 54th minute Forster burst into the area with menace but was denied by a vital interception by Martin McNeil, although a minute later McNeil allowed Forster the room to scare United with a 20 yard lob that hit the top of the bar. That was as close as Reading came to scoring while United resisted the pressure well, and with Martin Butler as willing as ever to chase the ball the U's always looked capable of breaking away. John Taylor replaced Neil Mackenzie after 66 minutes and in the 72nd minute Paul Wanless' persistence regained possession before he linked well with Ian Ashbee to find Butler, but the 18 goal striker curled his shot wide. Four minutes later Butler took a free kick from 25 yards but he was unable to make it count as he did at Wrexham last weekend, as it took a deflection and was comfortably saved by the 'keeper. In the 79th minute Wanless found Taylor but his snap shot on the turn was tame, then as the game drew to a tense close a thunderous 89th minute build-up by United ended when Butler dinked the ball to Benjamin, but the big striker's looping header drew a full-length save from Howie. Reading went on the counter-attack straight away and Forster charged down a clearance from Eustace but his drive was brilliantly parried by Marshall, and then two minutes into injury time substitute Maas Sarr shot into the side-netting via a deflection from Kavanagh. At the final whistle some Reading fans ran onto the pitch and chanted "what a waste of money" at the directors box, but it could have turned ugly when some ran towards the Cambridge supporters and the stewards had to move between the two sets of fans. Early reports from the travelling supporters indicate that some coins and missiles were thrown at them. Today's match was largely an edgy encounter between two sides who were afraid to lose and despite the odd moments of skill and some nice touches it was a low-key affair. The draw today leaves United at the foot of Division Two but it was our first clean sheet away from home all season and followed neatly on the heels of the first away win at Wrexham last weekend. Reporter Mark Johnson's man of the match was: "The imperious Scott Eustace".
Saturday 15th January 2000
AFC Bournemouth 2-3 Bristol City 5,425
Blackpool 3-3 Luton Town 5,262
Bristol Rovers 2-1 Gillingham 8,331
Bury 0-2 Wrexham 3,622
Cardiff City 1-1 Oxford United 6,914
Chesterfield 1-1 Burnley 4,214
Notts County 1-2 Colchester United 4,931
Oldham Athletic 3-0 Brentford 4,967
Reading 0-0 Cambridge United 6,953
Wigan Athletic 1-1 Millwall 6,304
Wycombe Wanderers 2-1 Scunthorpe United 4,850
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Reading and Cambridge stayed locked in the Division Two relegation zone after cancelling each other out in a tame goalless draw at the Madjeski Stadium.
The Royals' fourth successive league draw prompted a low-key pitch invasion by their frustrated fans at the final whistle. Reading had, in fairness, created enough second-half chances to have kept those fans happy, but continued to be wasteful in front of goal, a problem which has ultimately caused their depressing league position.
Cambridge came to defend, but created chances of their own on the break, top scorer Martin Butler a constant threat to a solid home rearguard.
Reading had the first chance of the match on eight minutes, when visiting keeper Shaun Marshall dropped a cross from on-loan Mark Nicholls at the feet of Martin Williams, but the striker could not react quickly enough and his tame shot was easily cleared off the line by Jason Kavanagh.
Reading did have the ball in the Cambridge net on 14 minuites, when Andy Gurney slotted home after a precise pass from Keith Scott, but the linesman's flag was already raised and the effort was ruled out. An ugly incident on 21 minutes threatened to bring the game to life for the wrong reasons, when Butler accused Reading defender Linvoy Primus of stamping, but referee Phil Richards ruled it accidental, although he did see fit to issue the Royals defender a yellow card.
Butler came close to snatching the lead for Cambridge on the stroke of half-time when he cut inside centre-back John Polston and curled a shot, which Reading keeper Scott Howie was relieved to see fly just wide.
The Royals introduced striker Nicky Forster at half-time for the ineffective Scott and the former Birmingham hitman made an instant impression. Reading immediately looked more lively up front and when Primus' long punt forward was mis-judged by defender Martin McNeil, Forster was desperately unlucky to see his dippy volley bounce off the top of the crossbar.
Yet that proved as close as the home side came to securing their first win in 12 matches and it was the visitors who came closest to snatching victory in a nail-biting finish. Butler saw his deflected free-kick well smothered by Howie after Reading skipper Phil Parkinson had fouled Ian Ashbee 14 minutes from time. And then, in the final minute of normal time, The U's, without an away win all season, threatened again as Butler combined with striker partner Trevor Benjamin, but Benjamin saw his looping header kept out by a flying Howie save.
Reading's supporters' frustrations boiled over at the final whistle when a group of around 100 ran onto the pitch to protest at their side's woeful form and were promptly taunted mercilessly by the travelling Cambridge fans, but the prompt action of the home stewards ensured the game did not finish on an ugly note. |
Reading fans ran on to the pitch to protest at their side's poor form after the 0-0 draw with bottom club Cambridge. They stood in front of the directors box chanting "what a waste of money" after watching their side fail to win for the 12th successive league game.
Cambridge, bottom of the division, are still without an away win all season. The most exciting moment in a poor match came in the final two minutes Scott Howie had to dive to his left to grab a goal bound header from Trevor Benjamin.
Reading then raced straight down the other end where Cambridge keeper Shaun Marshall stood firm to block a pile driver from substitute Nicky Forster. Forster also sent a lob onto the Cambridge cross bar early in the second half with Marshall beaten. |
RANDALL BUTT reports from a fabulous setting that played host to two frightened performances. MAGNICICENT! Such style and imagination. Impeccable planning, executed with panache and polish. That was the 25,000 all-seater 21st century Madejski Stadium -- which outshone and overshadowed this scrappy second division struggle. It was like watching a bunch of buskers shot full of nerves trying to produce a tune in the Albert Hall. There may be "plenty of games left," as every manager and player in a bottom four team will tell you, but it soon became obvious Reading and Cambridge United were all too aware of the importance of this encounter. There was an edginess about the play which restricted both sides, a relegation battle firing blanks until the final five minutes when each attempted to snatch a win neither deserved. And the setting, designed with higher division entertainment in mind, hardly helped. The acoustics made it a noisier experience than Wigan's stark new amphitheatre, but almost three times as many empty blue seats as supporters had their inevitable effect on the atmosphere. During the half hour before the interval, however, it seemed United manager Roy McFarland might be right when he suggested the suroundings would favour his men by diluting the home advantage. Individual shouts of criticism could be heard echoing around the ground as Royals fans reacted to United dominating play for long spells. But although important points appeared to be there for the taking, United were unable to turn possession into pressure or anything very positive in the penalty area. Typical of the disappointing action for the 400 or so travelling fans was Neil Mackenzie's 15th minute attack, Trevor Benjamin's 24th minute run and Martin Butler's 37th minute break. Mackenzie cut into the box, but with Butler well-placed, delayed his centre as he tried to beat two defenders, before hitting a low cross straight at one of them. Benjamin, set free down the left flank by an Alex Russell pass, looked as though he could take the ball on, but hurried a cross which flew straight to a defender. Butler did well to peel away from his marker, running on to a Paul Wanless through ball, but again the promise petered out in a tame centre, easily cut out. There was nothing to worry Reading keeper Scott Howie in the first half, apart from a Jason Kavanagh cross in the 31st minute which found Russell, only for the ball to bounce away from the midfielder allowing the keeper to rush out and grab it. That represented goalmouth mayhem though, compared with what was not happening at the other end, where Shaun Marshall was unemployed from the 17th minute until the half-time whistle. With a bit more boldness, it seemed United could beat the hapless home side after the break. But the game took a sudden change of direction. Reading replaced ineffective front man Keith Scott with Nicky Forster, who immediately showed some of the skills which commanded a £600,000 fee when he moved from Birmingham City. "He gave us some problems," admitted McFarland. "We had to re-arrange, and we couldn't get as much of the ball in attack as we did in the first half." United, defending much better these days than earlier in the campaign however, rode out Reading's storming start, restricting them to one real chance, when Forster broke through to bounce a chip shot off the crossbar in the 56th minute. The game reverted to a stand-off, United, with substitute John Taylor in the attack but Steve Guinan disappointingly kept on the bench, gaining more possession once again, but producing only a series of edge-of-the-box attempts which flew well wide. Then like a dying plant unexpectedly producing a couple of blooms, there was something at last for the remaining fans to cheer. Butler's 88th minute chip gave Benjmain the chance of a header the keeper caught at full stretch. And from the kick out Forster was sent in for a fierce volley Marshall did well to push away for a corner. Time will tell, maybe sooner than later, whether it was a confidence-boosting away point gained -- McFarland's upbeat assessment -- or a great chance missed to gain a vital victory. Report © Cambridge Newspapers Ltd |
The whole area around the Madejski Stadium is being developed, I don't know if it was green field or a brown site, but a lot is being invested. The Stadium itself is a marvel, well spaced seats, a colour scoreboard in one corner, beer is available from the snack bars, TV to watch while you wait, and most odd for a football ground was that the toilets do not smell! I don't mind paying a bit extra for facilities, the £14 was well worth it compared to Bournemouth at the start of the season. The area will be even better when they have finished all the approach roads so that drivers are not stuck in traffic for ages trying to get away. The playing surface is a bit of a let down, with not a lot of grass on it.
Reading made the first chance in the first minute, shooting well wide. On 7 minutes Marshall came a long way for a cross which he miss handled, the ball dropped to a Reading player just outside the penalty area who lobbed the ball towards the net but our defence cleared the danger a few yards from the line. Mackenzie made a good run which stopped when his low cross was blocked, almost immediately Reading scored, but their player was offside from the long crossfield ball. Wanless had a shooting chance but blazed the ball very high over the bar from 20 yards.
On 25 minutes McNeil tried to shepherd the ball out for a throw in but lost out as a Reading player got possession, luckily the resulting shot was well wide. Russell did well in their penalty area to turn a defender, but the ball ran a little too far and was collected by the 'keeper. Eustace had a good header from a corner well saved. Butler got away down the wing, but his cross was blocked. Soon after Butler set up Mackenzie for a shot, but it was poorly hit and straight to the 'keeper. Benjamin laid a good ball back to Butler, his curling shot went past the far post though. In the final minute of the half Mackenzie had a good shot blocked for a corner.
As with the first half Reading started the brighter, from a free kick a shot was deflected for a corner, and then a free header missed the target by a distance. On 10 minutes a looping shot from some way out hit the top of our crossbar with Marshall beaten. From defence we broke quickly and a resulting shot from Mackenzie was saved. 20 minutes into the half and Russell was replaced by Taylor and we went to 4-3-3. We continued to push forward, Wanless shot well wide, then Butler turned quickly outside the penalty area and fired in a shot which went just the wrong side of the post.
A long cross to Benjamin was crossed back to Taylor at the far post, his shot from a tight angle went straight into the keeper's hands though. We gained a free kick about 25 yards out, the routine that worked so well at Wrexham almost worked, but a deflection took the pace off the ball and into the arms of the keeper. 5 minutes from the end Wilson got injured by the touchline, and despite coming back on was in no fit state to continue and was replaced by Joseph. From a cross Benjamin tried a looping headed to the back post, but the accuracy was not quite good enough and the ball was easily claimed by the 'keeper. In the final minute Joseph dallied on the ball, his clearance was charged down to give a Reading forward a good chance, but Marshall was equal to it.
A goalless draw from a game which both teams will claim they could have won. As the away team I suppose we gain more in the way of confidence from keeping a clean sheet. Both teams showed at times showed good skills in moving the ball around, then showed that neither wanted to lose by making sure defenders were back in numbers.
At the end a group of a couple of hundred Reading fans invaded the pitch very easily, despite the stewards seeing them massing by the fence. Whatever it was they were protesting about was quickly forgotten as they advanced towards the United fans, the stewards did put themselves in the way, but did nothing to move them away. A couple of them were swinging on the crossbar, then started throwing coins. United fans resorted to chanting back at them, quite what would have happened if they had been playing Millwall does not bear thinking about. It makes a "Bring a Carrot" campaign seem positively low key!
Terry
Wilby |
What is wrong with some of the clubs in our League? Spending all that money to make a nice stadium? Don't they know that all football grounds should be made smaller to leave more land for allotments?