We were dreadful in the first half, centre backs aside. We needed to get the ball down and pass to feet because of the wind but kept dinking it up, heading it around, and hanging goal kicks in the air. Unable to spread the play, Stewart and Brady out wide weren’t seeing the ball.
We were lucky not to be behind at the break – how did McKenna make those two goal-line clearances? – and had the half gone on any longer we would have conceded.
Barmby obviously did his stuff at half time. We were smarter in the second half and stopped gifting Reading chances to attack.
Stewart didn’t look interested – perhaps he’d taken a knock – and was rightly taken off. Fryatt set up the goal nicely.
The law might be daft but I think it’s clear officials aren’t supposed to flag until an offside player touches the ball or impedes an opponent. Accept it and play to the whistle. Although, I doubt Ian Harte could track Brady if he’d wanted to – great set piece deliveries all day but he can’t run.
Very calm finish by Brady. I thought he was going to try rounding the keeper but he had the composure to get a shot away instead. The boy can make a decision after all!
Josh King looked both big and quick, a useful player to have in.
I suppose we were lucky Reading were missing their best players as they’d have punished us in the first half.
