I’m not going to lie to you this report is going to be a little sketchy after a few too many pre-match beverages with good friends before the game. Whose idea – I know really but I’ll leave you to guess – it was to drink whiskey chasers before noon I’ll never know but at least you kept up your record of missing kick-offs! Although I do accept the gerbil running around its wheel at the back of the barge had something to do with our late arrival in Smethwick!
Late Arrival
After arriving late in the ground and trying to focus on the game the first action I saw was our main target man, Roman Bednar, getting carried off on a stretcher. Thankfully it seems that Roman’s injury is muscle related and not a dreaded ligament or bone break. Almost immediately Reading opened the scoring when the usual reliable Jonas Olsson allowed Matt Mills a free-header from six yards out. An opportunity he was never going to turn down. I’m not sure whether it was the ale or my confidence in RDM’s men but I was still sure we’d gain all three points by the end of the afternoon.
My confidence was soon realised when Jerome Thomas seemingly sprinted the length of the pitch to pinch the ball off Adam Federici foot to roll the ball into an empty net for the equaliser. I know we shouldn’t keep giving teams a goal head-start but when we counter-attack like we did yesterday any opposition – regardless of their quality – will struggle to compete with us.
After the break
On to the second-half Albion carried on the front foot they’d left off before the break. With Thomas in full flow and looking dangerous whenever he was involved it was only a matter of time before we took the lead. The excellent Chris Wood again showed the quick feet he possess for a big fella when he nutmegged a Reading midfielder before slicing the defence open with a sublime pass for Thomas to record his second of the game.
The goal seemed like it would open the floodgates for Albion with Wood, Cech and Dorrans all unlucky not to find the back of the net with Federici pulling off some fantastic saves to keep Reading in with a shout. However it was the Aussie who had a hand in Albion’s third. His poor punch following an Albion corner looped onto the foot of Youssouf Mulumbu who duly obliged with an unstoppable volley to put the game to bed.
In summary
A first win in four games saw Albion head back to the top of the league after Newcastle had lost at Nottingham Forest. In my opinion the game summed us up perfectly this season: shaky at the back but thrilling and threatening going forward. If only we could iron out the defensive frailties we’d be nailed on certainties for promotion.