Reading 2-0 Doncaster

READING

2:0

DONCASTER ROVERS

One of the fantastic things about the Internet is its ability to bring people together who would otherwise surely never meet.  As luck would have it, my recent trip back to Blighty gave me many such opportunities, the first coming with this fixture.

Canadian Rover, a Wheatley lad who got out when the going was good as Mrs. Thatcher was starting to put her wrecking-ball through the mining industry, happened to be over from Canada and was kind enough to offer me a lift down to the MadStad.  After many years of sticking up for everything good about Donny Rovers on the 606 forums, it was a real pleasure to meet the guy and it was great to discuss our very similar opinions about Donny in face-to-face.

Despite my totally inept co-piloting skills, we arrived at the stadium in good time and about ready for a Steak and Ale pie.  Sadly, due to the MadStad's "middle of nowhere" location this pie and its accompanying pint were nowhere to be found and the Kentucky Fried Chicken and Fanta simply was not a substitute.  Something needs deparately sorting out there Royals!

But two pints in the stadium, which in itself is nice enough without being spectacular and it was game-time.

A ball in the midfield worked to either Oster (usually) or Gillett, then a long, diagonal ball up towards Hayter.  This ball would be headed clear practicially unchallenged by Kaspars Gorkss in the Reading defence.  This pattern of play would be one that Rovers fans would get used to in the next couple of hours.  Its a pattern of play that I had also seen on 1st January against Scunthorpe,  the difference being that on that occasion, Hayter did win some of the balls played to him.  I didn't like this move back in January though and now, I liked it even less.

Another feature of Doncaster's play was players running with the ball, and then running out of ideas as they reached the dangerous areas.  It was poor stuff!

Reading in the meantime, were making hay.  Neil Sullivan, recalled to replace Gary Woods was proving that he still has it with some great saves, my favourite of which was an effort from Jobi McAnuff which Sullivan couldn't hold on to but realising he was pushing the ball into the path of an on-rushing Simon Church, he swung a leg around to boot it out for a corner while still on the deck.  A brilliant piece of improvisation which saved a goal and received a few words of admiration from Church as he helped the Rovers' 'keeper to his feet. At least I think they were words of admiration.

For me though, the best moment for Rovers and of the game was a goal-saving tackle by George Friend.  Simply fantastic.  Both those incidents are featured in the clip below.

With Sully's heroics and that piece of brilliance, Rover's fans could have been forgiven for thinking that maybe the team would some find some inspiration from these incidents.  Not a bit of it.

Straight after the break there was a horrible moment between Sullivan and Martis as Le Fondre was making life difficult for them.  Martis left the ball before Sullivan had decided he was taking it and as a result he fumbled and the ball ran into the path of Simon Church who scored what must be the easiest goal of his career.

And it didn't take long for things to get worse.  A cross found Adam Le Fondre,  who had found a lot of space between Friend and Spurr.  He opened his account for the Royals with a powerful header.  A sweet first goal for the former Miller.

Rovers continued with the inept long-balls while Reading continued to rack up chances.  Sullivan was certainly justifying his call-up to the starting 11.  Without his performance, I dread to think what the scoreline could have been.

In the last 10 minutes, Donny actually started trying to play the ball on the floor again and looked better.  Coppinger had two decent half-chances, one of which hit the post, although Federici had it covered.  Right at the end, John Oster, who must have been voted "most unlikely to take a shot" at football academy, saw the Reading defence part in front of him while in the area.  The ball was moved sidewards and the chance was gone.  Two-nil to Reading and a very poor performance from the visitors.

So back up to Donny with Canadian Rover and I managed to get the train back to Leeds with some Sheffield Wednesday fans who'd travelled from Yeovil.  Sorry again about my navigating Canadian!