Reading 1-0 Port Vale: Points Finally On The Board

We’re in a much better position than we were the last time, and the time before that, that we welcomed our friends Port Vale to the Select Car Leasing Stadium. They’ve returned to League One after a strong promotion season under the stewardship of Darren Moore and, prior to the game, found themselves one place above us in the table (22nd), but friends or not, Reading were ready to do battle to gain their first three points of the season.

There was perhaps a little bit more interest in the Reading line-up this week, given the addition of the experienced duo of Jack Marriott and Matt Ritchie. However, there was no Ritchie in the matchday squad.

As I guess we all expected, Mark O’Mahony started up top and Marriott was on the bench – a sensible move to help build O’Mahony’s confidence against a theoretically weaker opposition, and the opportunity to get the crowd roaring when Marriott makes his debut.

Other news from the side saw Derrick Williams continue as a starting defender and Ben Elliott maintain his run as part of the starting midfield three, much to the delight of the many who have seen him as arguably our best performer so far this early season. Ashqar Ahmed also started, at right-back.

There was notably no Kelvin Abrefa on the bench, with Jeriel Dorsett the only recognised defender. This gave the nod to either Ahmed being planned to play the full 90, or a possible shift to a back three if he had to come off. The only other possibility appeared to be Liam Fraser covering at right-back.

Generally, this team seemed to have been set up as an attack-minded side – despite the clamour for Kamari Doyle resulting only in him being named on the bench. And why not go attack-minded?

Reading (4-3-3): Pereira; Ahmed, Burns, Williams, Jacob; Elliott, Wing, Savage; Lane, O’Mahony, Kyerewaa

Subs: Stevens, Dorsett, Fraser, Camara, Doyle, Garcia, Marriott

First half

Reading deployed a high press to start the game, demonstrating a lot of energy – particularly in the final third – in chasing the ball down and putting the Port Vale back line under constant pressure. Further down the pitch, we weren’t quite as efficient with our use of the ball, with Elliott a bit sloppy with his passing from time to time.

In the seventh minute, demonstrating a theme that was to continue for the duration of their time together on the pitch, there was excellent play on the right side between Ahmed and Paddy Lane, with the former pressing hard to win the ball and get inside the left-back to put a dangerous ball across the six-yard box, but with no one able to make a connection.

The 10th minute brought about a free-kick for Port Vale, which showed the risk with the nature of our high-pressing game. We held a high line, which we defended well, but our second phase of play after winning the ball aerially showed gaps in the midfield to win the second ball to play a counter-attack. This was not the case with all our transitions but it remains an area of opportunity for us to develop as the players get more familiar with the system.

In the 19th minute, we saw the first of many instances where a counter-attack from Reading allowed Kyerewaa to run quickly to stretch the Port Vale back line.

This time he played in O’Mahony, who demonstrated excellent hold-up play to set up Charlie Savage, who saw the shot blocked. Kyerewaa remained a real threat on the left-hand side of the pitch, always looking to make direct runs and stretch the Port Vale back line.

Around the 21st minute, there was an example of some great hold-up play from O’Mahony to receive the ball, play it to Lane and for him to play a great long pass for Kyerewaa to set up an attack and relieve pressure on the Reading defence, but this led to nothing but a throw-in.

However, this demonstrated the value that O’Mahony can add to this side by helping to win the ball and bring the wide players into the game with quick passes.

Ahmed, a real attacking threat throughout, had a brilliant moment in the 27th minute, running through the centre of the pitch around the halfway line, overcoming some challenges and sending a great long ball out to the right to find Lane, who put in a quick right-footed low cross to O’Mahony, who wasn’t able to get a touch after being surrounded by two defenders.

The feeling afterwards was that, if we can continue moves like this, then after some time when the players are more familiar with each other, this will lead to goals in the future.

Reading won a free-kick in a central left channel in the 31st minute, from quite a distance away from the goal, so Savage pinged the free-kick to Finley Burns roaming around the back post. There were calls for a handball by the Reading fans against the Port Vale defender, but they were unheeded by the ref.

For the next few minutes of the game, we had a number of exciting openings that we weren’t able to take advantage of. A 33rd-minute passage of great play saw Elliott pass to O’Mahony, who fed the ball out wide to Kyerewaa (that guy again), who got a shot away which was blocked by the goalkeeper, with calls for a corner from the Reading fans.

It was an example of Reading doing what they have the capability to do best – great movement, with quick passes.

There was a moment in the 35th minute that excited a few fans, with Reading breaking from a Port Vale corner. Kyerewaa ran from the halfway line and let off a shot which hit the side netting, which from some angles appeared as if it had gone in.

We continued to look for the opening goal in the remainder of the half, with Lane posing a significant threat with his pressing and cutting inside from the right. With six minutes (six?!) added on for extra time, it gave Elliott an opportunity to have a shot through the defender’s leg centrally on the edge of the box, which the ‘keeper saved but wasn’t able to hold onto. However, no Reading player was there to take advantage of this – O’Mahony’s game being more based around dropping deeper to receive the ball and play in the wingers.

There was a moment in the 48th minute which caused a few heart to skip a beat, when a Port Vale corner seemingly led to a goal… which was fortunately quickly ruled out due to a foul on a Reading player.

Reading certainly ended the half looking the more likely, but were unable to find the breakthrough. However, the confidence was there that, if we continued the way we were playing, we would be able to find an opening.

This was certainly reflected by the fact that Noel Hunt, despite having an attacking bench, made no changes. The weather was also something to consider, with the rain (in August? Honestly…) playing into Reading’s favour, who were looking to make quick passes, often along the ground, out wide to stretch the Port Vale defence.

Half time: 0-0

Reading started the second half strongly, with a Lane chance which was saved by the Port Vale ‘keeper.

This was followed up by a moment of controversy shortly after in the 51st minute: a red card was shown. Not for any players, but for Hunt, for kicking the ball away. Hunt, often vocal in his opinions on the standard of refereeing at this level, would be denied the chance to speak to the media after the game to tell us what he thought of that decision.

As the second half progressed, Port Vale were beginning to get a foothold in the game and were becoming the more dominant of the two teams, with Reading a lot more passive in their passing. The solution for this was a double substitution in the 62nd minute. This led to the introduction of Doyle and Marriott for Elliott and O’Mahony, in like-for-like swaps.

A note as well, which I learned from Phil Catchpole’s excellent commentary: this substitute appearance from Marriott made him the 1500th player to ever play for the senior men’s side. Quite the statistic! Could it also bring about a goal?

It certainly seemed to ignite Reading a little more. In the 65th minute, some great link-up play from Kyerewaa to Savage, then back to Kyerewaa and finally to Wing, who had a shot which was blocked. The play was then stopped due to a foul caused by Kyerewaa.

Not to be deterred, this led to further attacking play in the 66th minute, which saw Wing intercept the ball after a loose Joel Pereira goal-kick looked like it was going to be won by a Port Vale player.

Wing got the ball to Doyle, making this look a whole lot easier than it most likely was. He saw Kyerewaa making a run up the left-hand side – as is his wont – and found him, with the German rolling a cross along the floor on the edge of the 18-yard box, which seemed to pass everyone by, Reading or Port Vale, until it reached the right-hand side of the box, where Lane unleashed a left-footed strike top bins. 1-0 Reading.

In the 69th minute, Doyle had a similar idea from a similar position and tried a left-footed shot which he didn’t quite catch properly and bobbled over to the Port Vale goalkeeper. It looked like he might have injured himself with the mis-hit shot, but he picked himself up. Doyle continued to show great energy throughout the remainder of the half, while other Reading players began to tire.

Not Kyerewaa though, who continued to press high in the 73rd minute, which won us a throw-in deep in the Port Vale half on the right-hand side of the pitch. This was good because a) it took pressure off Reading and b) led to an opportunity for us to attack. Shortly after, in the 74th minute, Lane came off after putting in a great effort and scoring an ultimately game-winning goal, with Mamadi Camara introduced in a straight swap on the right wing.

However, not to be left out of the party, two minutes later, Port Vale created a rare chance after some sloppy play from Reading. They worked the ball into the box, but Pereira got down well and low to stop the shot and let it out for a corner, which led to nothing.

The game was beginning to fizzle out, as both teams showed fatigue, and Port Vale seemed to be running out of ideas. To help shore things up and keep things fresh for Reading, an 81st-minute substitution saw Dorsett and Liam Fraser come on for Savage (not often we see him subbed, is it?) and Ahmed, with Matty Jacob going to right-back.

However, despite the game beginning to slow down, Reading got very, very lucky in the 86^th minute when a ball over the top (where have we heard that before?) beat the high Reading defensive line, with (the otherwise excellent) Burns scrambling to get back to block the Port Vale forward, who took a shot from outside the box which ended up floating harmlessly over the bar.

Reading were looking happy to settle for the 1-0, and just as I wrote that, Doyle’s energetic press nearly won the ball from the Port Vale ‘keeper, who was making a clearance towards the end of the 90. Five minutes were added on, which gave both sides opportunities.

For Port Vale, they won the ball in the 92^nd minute and floated a cross in from the right, which was headed harmlessly wide.

For Reading, Doyle found Kyerewaa out wide in the 93rd minute, whose shot or cross (not sure which) from a narrow angle was blocked. Marriott was quick to win possession and put the ball across the six-yard box, with Camara nipping in at the far (right) post, but hit the post in his attempt to make it three goals in three appearances.

To close out the game, an excellent block in the 95th minute from Dorsett after some fantastic build-up play from Port Vale led to the ball being crossed in from the left. The referee blew the whistle bang on the end of the five minutes of extra time.

Full time: 1-0

Overall, this was a performance with a lot of positives for Reading – and not just for finally get the three points we have long since craved.

In particular, the relationship between Lane and Ahmed on the right side of the pitch is already blossoming. It allows Ahmed, with his attacking mentality, to push high up the line, and for Lane to cut inside into the box and cause the opposition defenders problems.

On the other side of the pitch, assist-provider Kyerewaa was a constant threat for Reading. His tireless running and direct style of play was always an outlet for Reading to make quick counter-attacking transitions, and it was great to see him get some reward for this with the assist for Lane’s goal. His understanding of Savage’s style of play is building too, and you feel that the two of them could work well together.

Finally, Burns was excellent both in the air and when passing out from the back today. This is no doubt owing to the reassuring presence of Williams alongside him, who was a rock at the back for Reading. Williams could possibly be the signing of the season for us – and I don’t say that lightly, given the praise I have had for fellow summer signings Lane, Kyerewaa and Burns.

Three points on the board, moving us out of the relegation zone, and the promising signs that we have sign from recent performances are beginning to bear fruit. This is very much still a team in progress, but we are getting better with each game and, post-Swindon, September has the potential to be a positive month for us.