Saturday
20th February 2016, FA Cup 5th Round,
Madejski Stadium, Kick-Off 3:00pm |
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Reading |
3 - 1 |
West Bromwich Albion |
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0 - 0 |
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McShane (59) |
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Fletcher (54) |
Hector (72) |
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Piazon (90+4) |
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Managers |
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Brian McDermott |
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Tony Pulis |
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Starting XI |
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Ali Al Habsi |
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Ben Foster |
Chris Gunter |
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James Chester |
(c) Paul McShane |
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Jonny Evans |
Oliver Norwood |
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Jonas Olsson |
Michael Hector |
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Chris Brunt |
Hal Robson-Kanu |
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Sandro (Pritchard 82) |
(John 59) Deniss Rakels |
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Darren Fletcher (c) |
Jordan Obita |
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James McClean (Anichebe 75) |
(Piazon 90+3) Stephen Quinn |
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Stéphane Sessčgnon |
(Vydra 59) Simon Cox |
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Saido Berahino |
Jake Cooper |
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Salomón Rondón |
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Substitutes |
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(gk) Jonathan Bond |
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Claudio Yacob |
Matěj Vydra |
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Craig Gardner |
Garath McCleary |
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Victor Anichebe |
Anton Ferdinand |
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Boaz Myhill (gk) |
Lucas Piazon |
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Sébastien Pocognoli |
Ola John |
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Rickie Lambert |
Josh Barrett |
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Alex Pritchard |
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Bookings |
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Evans (foul 87) |
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Attendance:
19,566 |
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Referee:
Anthony Taylor (Cheshire) |
Assistant 01:
Darren Cann
(Norfolk) |
Assistant 02:
Scott Ledger (South Yorkshire) |
Fourth Official:
Roger East
(Wiltshire) |
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Official Matchday
Programme |
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Reading reached the FA Cup
quarter-finals for just the fifth time in their history as they stunned West
Brom to leave Albion fans turning on their team. The Royals came from behind to
win 3-1 against a poor Albion side who deserved to go out but there were
worrying scenes at the final whistle when Chris Brunt appeared to be hit by
something thrown from the visiting fans as he went to applaud them. Albion fans
were angry after defeat and Brunt had to be led away by Darren Fletcher as he
was seen remonstrating with a group of supporters. Former
Albion defender Paul McShane cancelled out Fletcher's second-half
opener before Chelsea
loanee Michael Hector netted his first goal of the season. Lucas Piazon finished
the game in stoppage time as the visitors pushed for a leveller.
West Brom boss Tony Pulis had
insisted his side would take the Cup seriously but the head coach was let down
by the quality of his side, who have won just twice in their last 11 games.
Pulis had also agreed with talk of scrapping FA Cup replays but would have
gladly taken one as Saido Berahino and Fletcher missed late chances. Reading,
mid-table in the Sky Bet Championship, deserved their victory for taking what
few chances they had and showing more endeavour.
A gritty start gave way to a
scrappy game in which the Championship hosts easily contained their Barclays
Premier League visitors. McShane drilled wide from the edge of the box but it
was a token gesture in a turgid match. The hosts were the better side and while
their goalkeeper watched on untroubled, his opposite number Ben Foster turned
over Hal Robson-Kanu's header seven minutes before the break. It was the only
serious action of a first half devoid of excitement or quality and the second
began in similar style with James McClean ballooning over. But the Baggies broke
the monotony with a rare moment of quality nine minutes after the break. Rondon
was allowed too much time inside the box to tee up Fletcher and the former
Manchester United man advanced to drill a low angled drive past Ali Al Habsi
from 15 yards. Five minutes later Reading were level when McShane powered a
six-yard header from Oliver Norwood's free kick after Jordan Obita had been
fouled on the left. The goalrush was out of keeping with the game which quickly
slipped back into a wretched affair with the sides cancelling each other out.
But with 18 minutes left Hector, who joined Chelsea last summer before being
loaned back, completed
Reading's turnaround. It was another sloppy goal to concede from
West Brom as they allowed
the midfielder to ghost in at the far post to head in Norwood's free kick.
Berahino and then Fletcher miscued in front of goal with six minutes left and
Reading added gloss to the scoreline in stoppage time when, with Albion left
open, substitute Piazon drilled in.
After the final whistle Brunt
went to the away support to applaud them and throw his shirt into the crowd but
went down clutching his face after being hit by something which appeared to come
from the visiting fans' section. The
Albion man eventually handed his shirt over but not before a heated
exchange.
Sporting Life
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