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Reading 1 Middlesbrough 1 - Match Report
By Elizabeth Medhurst December 3 2007
As December began with Middlesbrough standing in seventeenth place, and falling gates meaning little money in the pot to strengthen the squad it would be no surprise if this year Santa Claus was getting an extra few letters with Riverside postmarks.

With Boro looking for their first win in nine, Lee Dong(key) Gook made the starting line-up as the injured Mido’s replacement, partnering Aliadiere up front. Turnbull replaced the injured Schwarzer and although Arca had travelled to Berkshire he did not make the final squad. The third change from last week was the return of Fabio Rochemback for Cattermole who had niggles with his ankle and started on the bench. This was quite an adventerous line-up, but nothing ventured, nothing gained.

Turnbull, Young, Woodgate (Huth 69), Wheater, Pogatetz, Johnson (Cattermole 89), Boateng, Rochemback, Downing, Aliadiere, Lee (Tuncay 70)
Steel, Hutchinson

The First Half

Boro kicked off and immediately headed in the right direction, with Boateng trying an early shot. Kitson flew into the challenge for Reading, only for Rochemback to steal the ball, and then do a lovely nutmeg. Johnson and Pogatetz then demonstrated a bit of classy play, worrying the home team from the off, and forcing a corner. Johnson took this, Wheater got to it but his header went straight to Hanneman. Decent start though.

Reading regained possession, but this was tentative. Gook Lee was fouled by Sonko, the free kick taken left-footed by Pogatetz, Boro continuing a sequence of shape and possession. Eventually Ingimarsson beat Aliadiere in the air and the home side were then awarded a free kick after a Wheater foul. This was cleared easily by Pogatetz and Boro were back in control.

Reading went on the attack, and looked momentarilydangerous, but Woody slipped, then recovered to make the clearance in clasis style. Only 6 minutes had been played, but already this match was providing entertainment and excitement. Reading continued to make nervy errors, and were lacking in confidence.

The tank-top clad away fans took advantage of the quiet home fans to urge the red shirts on. Reading atempted to get back into the game, Hunt giving Murty a cross at six yards which was headed off for a Boro goal kick. Boro stayed relatively relaxed, and this was to their advantage as Downing gave Aliadiere a lovely reverse pass into the penalty area, but the left footed shot unluckily hit the post.

Boro were showing both creative and attacking play - by twelve minutes the whole team had settled down into direct play, Adam Johnson and Luke Young shining in particular. Convey threatened by trying a mirroring Aliadiere’s earlier effort, but Turnbull looked comfortable.

If Boro were to get anything from this they had to take advantages where possible. Thankfully Lee and Aliadiere caught Sonko sleeping on the edge of area, and went towards the Reading goal, but again could not finish it as there was not enough power. Nevertheless, eighteen minutes into this so far stylish draw, the Reading defence was still shaky. As the rain started, hope was raised that this would bow the home team further, opening the way for Boro to take a chance with the attack.

On twenty-three Aliadiere sprinted 50 yards down the field, beating four defenders only to disappointingly go to ground at the 18 yard box instead of attempting a shot. Following this, the biggest danger from Reading came at twenty-nine when Woodgate misjudged the distance allowing Doyle to sneak the ball through on the left hand side. Kitson made space, and shot right footed plenty of power, however, Turnbull stood up well to the shot.

Although Kitson was a constant threat to Boro, it was the visitors that were making the chances. After an Aliadiere break was cleared away by Harper, Johnson got the ball back in the box and a frenzied sequence followed. Rocky delivered low shot back to aliadiere, who missed; Wheater picked it up and passed back to Johnson. His shot also missed and the deflection fell to Boateng who hit the back of the net, but was offside.

Kitson forced another save from Turnbull on 30 yards. Focus and concentration was needed as by this time Reading were starting to regain more possession. On thirty eight there was another bit of bad luck as yet another Aliadiere/Lee/Johnson sparring sequence did not change the scoreline, as it was deflected on to the post by Hanneman – a real let off for Reading.

With two minutes of time added on. Boro looked to end the half on a high. Rochemback made a charge, with Johnson coming hard down the left. Reading did manage to steal a break, Convey and Doyle heading back up the pitch, but the whistle stopped them in their trackes, leaving the match goalless at this stage. Boro overall should have been in front, with this line up working well, showing hunger and belief that this match was for the taking.

THE SECOND HALF

No changes for Boro as the second half kicked off. The visitors remained confident, and looked determined to keep a clean sheet at the very least. As Sonko laboured, Boro dithered, and the first chance of the half went. It was Reading who were raising their game as they put Boro under pressure. Rocky and Baoteng were doing a fine job in midfield of bringing it back, so much so that Steve Coppell was looking very worried.

The Lee/Aliadiere partnership was keeping the ball in the right direction, but by this stage it was feared that the lack of results from the opportunities would cost dearly. This was proved eight and a half minutes into the half when Doyle won a header easily, giving Kitson the break. It was one ball forward which lobbed over Turnbull into an empty net as the goalkeeper left his line.

Reading 1 Middlesbrough 0 (Kitson, 54)

This momentary lapse in concentration had initially knocked the stuffing out of Boro, but they needed to get straight back into out, especially as Kitson put the ball towards the side netting two minutes later. By the time the Boro spirit had returned, the Reading defence had started to pull themselves together, with Shorey denying Johnson entry into the 18 yard box.

This goal had certainly changed the tempo of the match and there some scrappy play from both sides followed in the next few minutes. Boateng was doing a good job of holding the team together in the main, but Boro could not hold it together enough to get the breakthrough and were overall fairly anonymous. On the hour mark the Reading defence was again caught having an afternoon nap, but Aliadiere’s header went wide of the target. Tempers started to get frayed amongst the home team with Ingimarsson, Sanko and Hamnneman all squaring up to each other.

As Lee got one of his first touches of the second half, which went nowhere, eyes were beginning to look towards Tuncay on the bench. This switch came at 70, looking to be a relief for Lee who had completely faded away. At the same time Huth came on for Woodgate, who had picked up a knock. The formation remained at 4 4 2.

And still Aliadiere could not finish it first time, even after being gifted a beautiful back heel from Downing on seventy two. Conversely, the striker was combining this with a terrific workrate causing the home team no end of problems. The Reading fans were also getting equally annoyed as the home team consistently failed to hold on to possession even though by now they were getting the lion’s share.

As the clock ticked past eighty minutes, Boro needed to pull something special out of the bag, as Reading’s confidence had visibly grown since the goal. This was a more coherent team than recently, but just lacking in finishing. All was not lost however, as out of nowhere Luke Young delivered a peach of a cross from the right hand side to Tuncay, who got it right first time and headed it straight into the net to break his duck in front of the Boro fans. Sweet.

Reading 1 Middlesbrough 1 (Tuncay 83)

This led to some frantic play as both sides started to chase the lead. Long came on for Gunnarsson as Reading kept play up front. Johnson, who had been impressive all afternoon made way for Cattermole in the dying minutes of normal play to be Boro’s last secret weapon. With three minutes of added time, it was Reading who broke first, Kitson almost getting his second after a Shorey cross, which was challenged by Wheater, forcingt the header wide.

Tuncay then had an unbelievable chance for his second after Aliadiere placed the ball into the box, Tuncay almost beat the sharp angle but Hanneman got on the end of it. Back to the other end of the field when a Reading corner was headed away, Boateng finished what had been a magnificent day for him, keeping it safe, getting the break and putting in an amazing run. Eventually Aliadiere elected to go for glory when Downing was lurking – a terrible waste of what was an almost certain chance to take the lead.

Boro ended the game with a well battled-for point, and a lot of positives from the match, but also in the bottom three for the first time this season, with a mountain to climb.

. FULL TIME FAN REACTION

“aaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaargh frustrating” Zorro

“We need to get a good scorer in January or else we are down. Simple as that.” Marktheborofan.


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