anyone see the reserves game?

[brendywendy]

anyone see the reserves game?
how did doyle, oster and seol play?
any taken off early with saturday in mind?

[higher]

There is 5/6 min highlights vid on reading world if youve got it.

Report from OS:
Reading started the brighter of the two teams, and went close after just 30 seconds when Kevin Doyle picked up the ball midway inside the Villa half and fired a right footer which flew just wide of the right post.They had much of the play in the opening 10 minutes, but had to wait until 11 minutes to force the next chance when Bozanic whipped in cross from left which Martin Laursen turned over his own bar.

On 15 minutes Villa had their first chance of note when Juan Pablo Angel ran at goal but was closed down well by Alan Bennett. And one minute later Luke Moore fired an effort just wide of the mark.Reading continued to look lively up front, Long and Doyle linking up well on 18 minutes before laying the ball off for Karacan on the edge of the box whose shot at goal was kept out by Stuart Taylor.

Villa were beginning to dominate proceedings, and went close when Angel dummied for Jonathan Hogg to run at goal and he took advantage of a hesitant defence to have a crack at goal, the ball flying over the bar.Andersen made a good stop at the second attempt to keep out Moore's drilled shot from the edge of the box as Villa continued to look dangerous.

At the other end Seol Ki-Hyeon curled a great right footed cross into the path of Doyle, but Taylor was out quickly to get ahead of the Irish striker on 21 minutes.And Villa defended well to keep out another Seol cross on 24 minutes after a nice cross-field ball from John Oster.

Andersen made a brilliant save to keep out Craig Gardner's right foot shot on 25 minutes, a flying fingertip save around his right hand post.And seconds later he made another impressive double stop. Angel played a great ball in for Gardner, the angled shot was kept out by the Dane before he picked himself up to turn Gardner's rebound behind for a corner.But from that very corner, Villa took what was a deserved lead. Zoltan Stieber sent over the corner for Gardner to plant a firm header high into the goal from eight yards out.

Reading responded and again went close on 35 minutes when Seol cut in onto his left, clipped a ball in which Taylor fumbled, Doyle unable to latch onto the ball from close range.Karacan then snatched at a shot on the edge of the box on 39 minutes, making it an easy claim for Taylor.Villa doubled the lead on 40 minutes, Stieber again provided the cross from the left for Chris Herd to slide home a right footed finish across Andersen from just inside the penalty area.

Second half: Andersen continued his impressive showing early on in the second half when he claimed bravely at the feet of Moore inside the box on 46 minutes.Reading nearly pulled one back on 51 minutes when Oster belted in a shot which Taylor parried into the path of Doyle, but the striker was just unable knock home the rebound.

Ulises De La Cruz got in on the act with a shot which brought out a good stop from Taylor on 55 minutes Reading were really piling on the pressure, Karacan having an effort blocked by Gardner on edge of the box on 65 minutes Oster laid a quick free-kick into path of Seol on 66 minutes, but the Korean's shot from the edge of thebox was deflected over the bar.

Oster provided another good cross on 70 minutes, but Taylor made a great punch clear under pressure.Shane Long shot through a crowd of players from 10 yards on 71 minutes, Herd managing to get in front to clear. And the resulting corner from substitute Hal Robson-Kanu saw Long turn an effort inches wide.Long was then found with a ball over the top on 73 minutes, and with just the keeper to bea his effort was again off target.It did not look to be Reading's night.

They had much more of the play for long periods of the game, and Long again had a chance on 81 minutes when Simon Church's neat touch put him in one-on-one with Taylor. But again his curled right footer sailed over the bar.And the third goal from Villa killed off the visitors on 84 minutes when Stieber provided his third assist of the evening by sending over a corner for Stephen O'Halloran to power a header home from close range.

Andersen was again called into action to prevent a fourth on 87 minutes w hen he produced a marvellous diving save to thwart Gardner.

From what I can glean good performances from Doyle ,Seol and particularly Anderson in the Reading goal. HTH.

[reading_fan]

Myself and a few of the Brum Royals went to the game last night.

The first teamers:
Doyle was quiet, some good touches but definitely not the full 100% Doyle we're so used to seeing. Subbed after an hour
Long looked ok, but I don't think him and Doyle worked well as a partnership last night.
Oster had a decent game at centre mid, looked good going forward and kept the ball moving well. Subbed after 75 mins
Seol was disappointing for me, looked uninterested and gave the ball away a few times, didn't seem to want to take on the full back and put few crosses in
Bikey - erratic positionally, Angel and Moore seemed to get away from him to easily when he was marking one of them.
De la Cruz looked good going forward, and strong defensively, our best defender last night

The rest:
I struggled to identify a few of the kids to be honest, but here goes...
Andersen - several great saves, including one double save. Kicking doesn't appear to be his forte and he doesn't have the longest of kicks, but seems a good shot stopper
Bennett - solid without shining, some good tackles
Karacan stood out for me from the young guns, looks like he's being moulded into a Roy Keane role, a defensive central midfielder who can push forward and support the attacks and looks good on the ball

Two goals direct from corners were disappointing, and the second goal was a fantastic cross whipped in behind the back four along the six yard line and finished on the far post. Not a bad game overall, end to end for the most part, although we were a little fortunate to have avoided a heavier defeat, as most of the chances we did create didn't test the keeper whereas Andersen had probably 6 or 7 decent saves to make

[brendywendy]

thanksyou

u should be a sports jounalist

[If you still hate Futcher]

a good appraisal of the game

u should be a sports jounalist

He would've failed the interview because he turned up