9.45pm, Tuesday 7th February 2006



Birmingham City 2 (Forssell 30, Gray 67)
Reading 1 (Hunt 51)

Birmingham: Taylor, Melchiot, Gray, Bruce, Painter, Clemence (Oji 90), Clapham, Pennant, Birley (Sadler 59), Forssell, Jarosik
Subs: Vaesen, Alsop, Allen

Reading: Stack, Halls, Makin, Sonko, Ingimarsson, Gunnarsson, Sidwell (c), Oster, Hunt, Kitson, Long (Cox 68)
Subs: Federici, Golbourne, Osano, Sinnott
Booked: Gunnarsson

Ref: Mr P Walton

Att: 16,644

The Royals are out of the FA Cup after a much-changed side suffered a 2-1 defeat at Birmingham tonight.

Julian Gray scored the decisive goal midway through the second period, heading home Jiri Jarosik's cross from close range.

The Blues had taken a first-half lead through Mikael Forssell, who netted the rebound after a good Graham Stack save, only for Stephen Hunt to smash home an equaliser early in the second period with a left-footed volley.

The defeat was harsh on Reading, who deserved to take the game into extra time after enjoying a good share of possession and creating some decent chances.

Brynjar Gunnarsson was shown his fifth yellow card of the season, and will be suspended from next week's trip to Sheffield United.


Full report
Reading enjoyed the better of the early exchanges and won a corner in the third minute when Dave Kitson pressured down the right hand side.

In the seventh minute, Kitson had a great chance when Gunnarsson did well in midfield to slide a superb through ball into the path of the striker, who dragged his left-footed shot wide of the right-hand post.

Birmingham's first shot on goal came after eight minutes with an ambitious long-range strike from Jiri Jarosik, but the midfielder's shot lacked power and was easily gathered by Graham Stack.

On a wet and windy night at St Andrews, Jermaine Pennant did well down the right to lay the ball off to Jamie Clapham, who mishit his shot a long way wide from 20 yards.

After a quiet spell, the home side went ahead with 30 minutes played when Mikael Forssell received a pass from Pennant. The striker broke into the area and although Stack saved well, the rebound fell kindly for Forssell who slotted home with ease.

The Royals almost responded immediately when a loose ball dropped out to Steve Sidwell, who hammered a tremendous low shot from 25 yards that Maik Taylor parried brilliantly onto the post, and Kitson could only fire the rebound straight at Taylor.

Steve Coppell's side did not deserve to be trailing, and went close again after 35 minutes when John Halls' long free-kick was headed on by Ibrahima Sonko and the stretching Kitson prodded the ball over the crossbar.

Towards the end of the half Jarosik tried his luck with a curling, dipping long-range strike which drifted just wide of the right-hand post as Stack scrambled across.


Second half
Again Reading started the half more brightly, quickly putting the Blues onto the back foot as John Oster whipped an excellent ball dangerously across the face of goal from the right flank.

The deserved equaliser came after 51 minutes through a brilliant strike from Stephen Hunt. Oster's long ball through the middle seemed harmless, but Hunt outmuscled Alex Bruce to rifle an unstoppable left-footed volley into the roof of the net from 15 yards.

Stack then came to Reading's rescue as Jarosik ran onto a pass from Stephen Clemence and strode into the area before letting fly with a powerful low shot that the keeper parried well. As play switched quickly down to the other end, Oster's attempted chip lacked the height to trouble Taylor.

The home side's had to wait until the 63rd minute for their first chance of the half as Pennant's deep free-kick reached Julian Gray, who badly sliced his shot well wide from a good position.

The Royals withstood a penalty appeal when Clemence jinked his way into the area before going to ground, and then Jamie Clapham fired a long-range volley wide as the Blues stepped up their game.

After increasing the pressure, Birmingham retook the lead when Pennant found Jarosik, who turned well on the right before crossing to the far post where Gray lost his marker John Halls to head home from close range.

With 12 minutes remaining Kitson flicked on well for substitute Simon Cox, who controlled neatly before firing a right-footed half-volley from 18 yards that was deflected behind for a corner, while at the other end Pennant's free-kick flew well over the bar.

Cox had another effort after turning well in midfield, but this time the youngster's 25-yard right-footed drive was well off target to the right of goal, with Oster screaming for a pass out wide.

The Royals were unable to find a late leveller, and saw their involvement with this season's FA Cup come to an end.