By CovSid67
September 11 2005

Our third match at the Arena, and the unbeaten run continues - just. And if the entertainment level can continue, maybe, just maybe, we might get past the old capacity at Highfield Road, making moving grounds worthwhile! A severe downpour before kick-off showed up one of the design faults of the new ground, with no protection from the weather anywhere to be found outside the Arena - including for the programme sellers, who were in danger of selling paper mache clumps rather than the official matchday magazine!

Coventry City - rather disgracefully in the opinion of just about everybody - failed to mark the death of former manager Noel Cantwell with a minutes silence, obviously choosing to ignore the only manager who ever managed to take us into Europe. Shame on whoever made (Or didn't make) the decision.

As reported, the capacity was increased to 26,000, but without real need too as a lot of seats went unfilled (The entire away section's turnstiles were opened for the first time, despite the fact they brought no more than QPR). Depending on where you get your info, the attendance was anywhere between 19,200 and 22,000....

The first 20 minutes brought a few half chances for both sides, with Coventry's build-up usually fairly slow and measured (Rather than the hoof-ball some have accused us of using), while Reading relied on quick breakaways. Bywater's alertness kept the score at 0-0, with Reading's Sonko coming closest to scoring for Coventry, slicing his attempted clearance towards his own goal!

The last 20 minutes of the half turned into the Adebola Show, with said player showing just why £350,000 (Plus Paul Shaw) was nowhere near high enough to allow him to leave.

He showed great strength to hold off two defenders before firing in a shot that hit the inside of the post and bouncing out so safety, and soon after was just beaten to the ball by two defenders, who were forced into conceding a corner.

In-between those efforts, a McSheffrey cross was headed into Hahnemann's arms by Scowcroft, who again proved he was worth his place in attack (Not that "Mr. Air Miles", Stern John, was ever going to get a look-in today!).

Adebola then produced a moment of magic similar to his first goal versus QPR, beating a couple of defenders while out wide on the right, before just failing to score inside the keepers near post.

A poor foul by Page could have resulted in a red card had Reading players not gone down lack the proverbial sack of spuds at every opportunity, with the referee probably not able to tell the difference between them feigning injury, and actually being injured.

A cross by Hall was plucked out of the air by Hahnemann, with the incoming McSheffrey never really likely to beat him to the ball. Doyle then fired a free kick just over the bar.

A mystifying decision by yet another poor referee saw Reading awarded a penalty five minutes before half-time. Page, Duffy, and Shaw were all blamed for giving away the spot-kick, which Bywater brilliantly saved - with Lita possibly put off by a wall of noise from the home supporters! Whoever is responsible for the acoustics at the new ground deserves a round of applause (The late rendition of "You Don't Know What You're Doing", aimed at the referee, probably about as loud as I've ever heard it sung anywhere!).

Coventry City missed two more chances just before half-time, with Scowcroft missing when it looked easier to take his tally for the season to three, and a McSheffrey corner was headed into the keepers arms by Page.

Half-time: 0-0.

Flood (Whose loan spell at Coventry City is soon to be extended or over) took on and beat Reading's left-back minutes into the second half, but, having done the hard work - in true Peter Ndlovu style - he went back and tried to do the same again rather than getting in a cross, and was tackled.

A cross from Duffy was just a few blades of grass away from being perfect for Scowcroft, before Reading broke away to test Bywater again - and again, he was equal to the task.

Whing then replaced the tired looking Duffy just before an hour had been played, with Morrell replacing Flood soon after (65 minutes).

Reading took the lead with 20 minutes left, after a poor ball had put Hall in trouble, and he had done well to only concede a throw-in. The Reading substitutes helped get the ball back in play immediately, with Coventry's players woefully out of position. Bywater could only parry Doyle's shot, with the same player scoring the rebound.

The last 10 minutes saw Coventry frantically try and score an equaliser in a bid to hold onto their unbeaten start at the Arena, and were denied a good two or three shouts for a penalty with minutes, and were also denied by a few top draw saves from Reading's No. 1 - one of the better keepers in the Championship.

Morrell's effort was tipped over the bar by Hahnemann, who then produced a fine save from McSheffrey's corner (A lot of which were again hit long, with nobody taking up a back post position).

Robert Page then got his head to another McSheffrey corner, with Reading's resistance finally broken. That it's taken him so long to score his first goal for Coventry is a mystery, as he always looks a threat in the opposition penalty area....

A McSheffrey effort late on was well saved by Hahnemann, before the final whistle was blown. As the teams left the pitch, Coventry players, obviously unhappy with a few decisions that didn't go their way, attempted to "have words" with the referee, but were kept away by security.

As well as Page, Shaw, Jorgensen, and Doyle, picked up yellow cards - the latter after the referee had awarded a throw-in to Reading, when the ball clearly came off a Reading player.

The referee wasn't helped throughout the match by one particular linesman, who refused to give a decision until he had seen what the referee was going to do first. Still no excuse for losing the plot for the last quarter of the game though....