Reading 1 Sheffield United 3

[S36Reject]

Date: 22nd August 2009

Venue: Madjeski Stadium

Attendance: 16025

Man Of The First Half: Liam Rosenior

Man Of The Second Half: Jamie Ward

Man Of The Match: Jamie Ward

Referee: M.Russell (7/10)

Blades Line-Up:
Bunn
Walker, Morgan, Kilgallon, Taylor
Ward, Quinn, Montgomery, Treacy
Evans, Henderson

Subs:
Sharp, Reid, Little, Bennett, Cotterill, France, Bromby

First Half:

United Make 1 Change from the Mid week Draw with Leicester! The Poor Howard making way for the Lively Quinn KB opting for an unusually Positive 4-4-2
Cautious Start from both sides, with the Blades just shading the Positive Boot United having the First Chance of the match Taylor taking control of a Morgan Clearance and Finding Treacy with a superb Through Ball, Treacy hitting the Shot first time, and watched it fly just wide(5)
The First Set Piece goes for Reading, Quinn Fouling Sigurdson
The First Corner, however, Won by Ward, Goes for the Visitors Treacy takes but cleared for another Corner, Which comes to nothing (7)
The Next Action comes from the Opposite End, The Blades Conceding a succession of Corners, United shakily clearing via Morgan (10)
Reading capitalise on poor defending from yet another Free Kick, The ball floated into the 6 yard box where MILLS Beats Bunn to the ball from 2 yards
1-0(14) Mills
Reading continue to press from the restart, winning a Corner off Kilgallon which is cleared to Quinn. Quinn begins a Break-Away but is stopped in his tracks by Sigurdson United Guilty of wasting possession time and time again after the Goal, and look Rattled (17)
Reading continue in the Ascendency, Rosenior and Tabb being the Most instrumental but the next Free Kick is won by Treacy, Making a great run through 3 Reading Defenders. The Free Kick targetted to Henderson but his touch was poor (19)
A Scrappy period of poor Decisions and Frantic Play followed, Both sides being the cause of their own Demise (21)
Tabb Beats Ward to a Morgan Clearance and sends Long on his way, who then finds Hunt on a run but, instead of Taking the Shot, he squares to Long to just Glance Wide Treacy Off, Cotterill (26)
Reading keep United on the back foot, Creating Chance after chance, Tabb getting Closest, The Blades unable to Contain The hosts in any part of Field (28)
Reading win a Corner, off the Wall, after a Free Kick Bunn clearing to Montgomery but he's dispossessed and Taylor Concedes the Corner, Sigurdson sends the ball in but Henderson Clears Long only for the ball to come straight back, Sigurdson missing the target from Range (32)
United Press moments later but they just can't get past a well Drilled Reading Defense (33)
Reading continue in the Dominence, but are unable to get past Uniteds Solid defense United using a hit and hope Clearance Policy, which failed miserably, as the High balls are beating both Cotterill and Ward in the Centre of the pitch Rosenior, arguably the Man Of The First Half, Continued to find his own attackers, only for them to find Uniteds Defense. Quinn winning Free Kicks in the Centre of the park but the lack of support to Ward and Cotterill makes it easy pickings for the Reading Defense (40)
United finally put together a Great Attack, Quinn finds Ward with a fast Pass, Ward Controls and finds Taylor, who knocks it back towards Ward on a run Ward sends in a High Cross over Henderson to Evans Evans shoots but QUINN rebounds 2 Yards out
1-1 Quinn(42)
United Continue to press, Ward being a handful against the Reading RB (Since Cotterill took over from Ward on the Right (against Bertrand) he's not been Mentioned ) Evans having a shot just before the Half Time whistle
HT 1-1(45+3) United need to do a little bit more than they are if they are going to win this

Second Half:
United start the Second Half as they started the First, Plenty of Possession and Pressure United having the First Chance, A Great Cross from Cotterill which is met by HENDERSON, who shoots into the back of the net The Referee Dis-Allowing for a Foul (which in Truth was 6:2x3, and should have stood) (47)
Reading try to get a foot into the game but the Visitors show strength and continue in the Ascendency (49)
Reading start to turn the tables, Tabb being the man to take the game to United Tabb finding Sigurdsson, he Beats Bunn but not the Post (52)
Reading try to add to the pressure but United come forward still, Ward and Walker being the thorns in The Hosts Side (55)
Just passed the Hour, a Moment of Ward Magic A Taylor Throw-in to WARD on the left hand side, takes a touch in field to the left Channel, and slots a great 20 yard Shot past the Keeper, Fortuitous Really
1-2 Ward(62)
Reading begin to makes a sub, Cisse Off, Davies On (66)
Reading seem to run into brick walls against a Resolute United Defense Tabb, sends a great Cross into the Area, Bunn clears only to another Home Shirt as United Work hard to keep out Reading United almost conceding an Own Goal as Kilgallon misses the Clearing Header, Dropping to Taylor and ball bobbles wide The resulting Corner coming to Nothing (71)
United again, hit Reading on the Break, Ward again being the outlet Henderson as usual being the target (74)
Hunt Off, Church On(75)
United win a free kick, Cotterill with it but it's wasted United keeping Possession but Reading Pushing United out Again, Davies and Bertrand being The most Positive players in the Hooped Shirts, But Long is isolated and the United Defense clear with ease Reading almost get an equaliser, but in a 50:50 challenge, Bunn wins the punch as Church was threatening (77)
United push on, Cotterill and Walker linking well, Walker beating Bertrand to the By-Line and sends a great ball which Henderson forces a clearance from the Home sides rear guard (79)
United blow a great Chance, Quinn finding Ward, who rounds the Keeper but the ball is too Wide, Ward knocks it back to Quinn who Passes to Henderson, but Stolen by Sigurdsson This sparks a Bit of Reading Pressure, Bunn foiling Longs Run-In (83)
Evans Off, France On(85)
United press, Ward going Clear, but runs out of Legs! France catches up with play and Ward finds him France, being closed down, Shoots, Federici palms round a post (86)
Bertrand Off, Harper On(88)
Ward again finds himself in Space, France, running on again, Receiving Shoots (and should have done better) but it goes well wide (89)
United Seal the Points, Bunn takes a Goal Kick, Henderson Nods on and Pearson Defends well and Nods Clear, Straight into the path of COTTERILL and he scampers forward, Drops a Shoulder, 25 Yards out and hits an Absolutely Peach past The sprawling Federici
1-3 Cotterill(90+3) What a Brilliant Goal
Reading make a final push to get a ball back but with just a minute and half left, can't find a way through
FT 1-3 (90+4) Mills: Quinn,Ward,Cotterill

Ok, Rate 'em
Bunn
Walker
Morgan
Kilgallon
Taylor
Montgomery
Quinn
Treacy(26)
Ward
Evans(85)
Henderson
Cotterill(26)
France(85)

[S36Reject]

Bunn 8
Walker 8
Morgan 8
Kilgallon 7
Taylor 7
Montgomery 7
Quinn 8
Treacy(26) 6
Ward 9
Evans(85) 6
Henderson 7
Cotterill(26) 8
France(85) 7

[Halfvampire Halfman]

Based on Radio Sheffield commentary
Bunn 7
Walker 8
Morgan 7
Kilgallon 7
Taylor 7
Montgomery 7
Quinn 8 (yes you read that right - I gace Quinn an 8 - credit where it's due. Keep it up now Quinny)
Treacy(26) 7 (sounded the best player before he went off - would like to have been able to give him more)
Ward 8 (thorn in Readings side all match)
Evans(85) 7
Henderson 8 (Has boots of glue when it comes to holding the ball up)
Cotterill(26) 8
France(85) 6 (only had 9 minutes on the pitch so it's harder to give him any more - and he missed 2 goals).

[lingsbord]

Bunn 7
Walker 7
Morgan 8
Kilgallon 7
Taylor 7
Montgomery 7
Quinn 7
Treacy(26) 8
Ward 7
Evans(85) 7
Henderson 8
Cotterill(26) 8
France(85) 6

[Staboblade]

Bunn.7
Walker.7
Morgan.7
Kilgallon.7
Taylor.7
Montgomery.8
Quinn.8
Treacy(26).7
Ward.8
Evans(85.6
Henderson.6
Cotterill(26).8
France(85).6

[S36Reject]

Average Match Ratings:

1, Cotterill.............. 8
1, Ward................. 8
3, Quinn................ 7.8
4, Morgan.............. 7.5
4, Walker.............. 7.5
6, Montgomery........ 7.3
6, Henderson.......... 7.3
6, Bunn................. 7.3
9, Kilgallon............. 7
9, Taylor............... 7
9, Treacy............... 7
12, Evans.............. 6.5
13, France............. 6.3