MATCH REPORT

FRIENDLY

FARNBOROUGH TOWN

READING

MATCH REPORT

Steve Coppell's Reading side suffered there 1st defeat of the pre season campaign, losing 2-1 to neighbours Farnborough Town at Cherrywood Road. The match saw the Royals record signing Leroy Lita make his much anticipated debut after signing from Bristol City on Thursday.

The Royals opened the game playing a 4-3-3 formation with Bobby Convey operating on the left flank with Lita on the right and Dave Kitson as the main man. The midfield trio consisted of Glen Little, James Harper and Andy Hughes.

The back 4 had 3 of the usual suspects in captain Graeme Murty, Ivar Ingimarsson and Imbrahima Sonko while new signing Stephen Hunt played in an unfamiliar role as left back because of the absence of Nicky Shorey, who still hasn't fully recovered from a knee injury.

The match, watched by chairman John Madejski the saw few chances and Lita came close on the half an hour mark when his 1 on 1 effort with the Boro keeper went just over the bar.

The momentum stayed with the Royals who went into the lead in injury time of the first half with Glen Little getting on the score sheet. American winger Bobby Convey crossed for the former Burnley winger who cut the shot back onto his weaker left foot before curling past the Farnborough goalkeeper.

Moments later the referee blew for half time and the Royals were in front.

Half Time: Farnborough Town 0:1 Reading

The Royals only made 2 changes at the start of the 2nd half with Irish left winger Jonathan Hayes replacing the goalscorer Glen Little while new signing Kevin Doyle taking the place of Convey.

Lita came close again when him and Kitson linked up only minutes into the 2nd half and Lita's header was just too high.

As the game went on, changes were made which saw the introduction of Peter Castle, Curtis Osano, Darren Stapleton, Jan Muldowney and Dean Morgan get there opportunities to shine and only on loan Arsenal goalkeeper Graham Stack, Ivar Ingimarsson and the ever reliable Andy Hughes completed the full 90 minutes.

The changes however resulted in a huge improvement and deservedly equalised with about 10 minutes remaining when Stack was lobbed by the number 16 player from Farnborough who made the score line 1-1.

And in injury time of the 2nd half, Town scored after a weak pass by Ingimarsson allowed the Town striker to round Stack before scoring into an empty net.

The Royals deserved defeat for underestimating there opponents and in particular the academy boys who have a hell of a lot of work to do if they're to make grade at Reading Football Club.

Full Time: Farnborough Town 2:1 Reading

Royals Man Of The Match: - Andy Hughes

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NEXT FRIENDLY

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21st July 2005, 19:00 PM Kick Off (BST)