Reading 1 (Ingimarsson 23)
Manchester City 0

Reading (4-4-2): Hahnemann; Murty (c), Shorey, Sonko, Ingimarsson; Harper, Sidwell, Seol (Gunnarsson 76), Convey, Doyle, Lita (Long 75)
Subs: Stack, Little, Hunt

Man City (4-4-2): Weaver, Richards (Trabelsi 60), Jordan, Distin, Dunne (c); Barton, Dabo, Sinclair, Reyna (Miller 73); Corradi, Dickov (Samaras 60)
Subs: Hart, Hamann
Booked: Barton, Reyna, Sinclair
Sent off: Dabo

Ref: H Webb (South Yorks)

Attendance: 24,092

A first half header from Ivar Ingimarsson gave Reading all three points against Manchester City this evening.

The Icelander stooped to head home Bobby Convey's 23rd minute free kick, clashing heads with Sylvain Distin in the process, but the Icelander was able to continue and play a full part in a good victory.

City enjoyed the majority of possession throughout the game, but Reading defended well and also looked good on the break. Ingimarsson almost scored another, but a great save from the impressive Nicky Weaver kept him out.

It was an open game, and any chance City had of taking a point was all but lost in the 80th minute when Ousmane Dabo was shown a straight red card following an aerial challenge with Steve Sidwell.

The City players were very upset with referee Howard Webb's decision to send the Frenchman off. It appeared more of an outstretched arm than a full elbow, although Trevor Sinclair was perhaps fortunate not to be sent off earlier for a two-footed tackle from behind on Convey.

Kevin Doyle was denied by a goalline clearance inside injury time, but it was of no concern as Steve Coppell's side earned their second win in the Premiership.

Coppell's men had shown two sides to their play; defending well in the face of regular attacks, but they also looked lively going forward and it was Weaver who had to make the more important saves.




Full report
Leroy Lita had a half chance inside the first 10 seconds, but couldn't beat Weaver with a left-footed effort from Doyle's cross. The game had started well, and Claudio Reyna shot straight at compatriot Marcus Hahnemann on four minutes.

Micah Richards did well down the right in the 13th minute, playing a neat one-two to get into a crossing position. His low ball into the box found Paul Dickov, but the Scot shot straight at Hahnemann. The ball briefly fell from the American's grasp, but he smothered quickly to complete a decent stop.

Down the other end Lita broke into the box, and got past Richard Dunne. There were half-hearted claims for a penalty, but Dunne just got the ball. It broke loose to Doyle, and he nearly found Seol Ki-Hyeon but the danger was cleared.




City were well on top in terms of possession, and only a late saving tackle from Graeme Murty prevented Bernardo Corradi from getting a clear chance.

Straight away though Reading broke, with Lita showing great strength down the right to turn Sylvain Distin, and the Frenchman was booked after bringing him down.

City disputed the decision as rather generous, and they were to rue the subsequent free kick.




Convey whipped in an excellent dead ball, and Ingimarsson showed great bravery to throw himself at the cross. The Icelander got there ahead of his man, and powered an excellent downward header into the far corner.

While nodding home, he accidentally clashed heads with Distin and did not have chance to celebrate his goal as he lay on the ground to receive treatment.

Down the other end Corradi had a free header from a corner but only directed it straight at Hahnemann.

City then had another good chance, with a long free kick evading Ibrahima Sonko and driving into the area. Trevor Sinclair stole in, but Ingimarsson just did enough to put him off as he side-footed wide from eight yards.




Incredibly, Ingimarsson almost had a second when Murty's shot was deflected to him inside the area. He found himself wide on the left-hand side of the box, and turned in an excellent shot that Weaver did brilliantly to turn over.

Reading were ending the half strongly, and put in an excellent move that saw James Harper's shot deflected over. From the resulting Convey corner, Seol shook off his man and powered toward goal, only to head a very good chance over from nine yards.

With 60 seconds of the half remaining, a City corner produced something of a scramble but it was hacked away. The Royals were given good applause as the half time whistle blew, and they had come back into it well after City had started the game with more purpose.




The second half started a little slowly, but Lita again forced another City player to be booked when Reyna was cautioned for a blatant pull.

Sinclair was then a little lucky to only be booked when he went right through Convey from behind with a two-footed tackle on the touchline.

The game was devoid of clear chances at this point but Hahnemann had to do well to hold sub Georgios Samaras' stinging effort on the hour.

City were enjoying most of the possession, and Sonko blocked Ousmano Dabo's free kick with 25 minutes to go.




A Reading break then allowed Harper space to advance deep into City territory. With options outside him he elected to shoot, but Weaver was able to smother with ease.

The game was beginning to open up, and Samaras produced a very good save from Hahnemann down to his left. From the resulting corner, Reyna found himself in acres of space but shot wildly over when he would have expected to hit the target.

Reading broke again though, and Convey snatched at a good chance from 25 yards, dragging wide. Both teams were creating chances, and Dabo shot well over from 30 yards.

Seol did well down the right, and his crossed was deflected; spooning up in the air to Doyle, who fired over on the turn while being incorrectly given offside.




In the 80th minute City were down to 10 men in controversial circumstances.

Dabo went up with Sidwell on the edge of the City box, and the Frenchman perhaps led with his arm, but there was some surprise when referee Howard Webb showed him a straight red. He did catch Sidwell in the face, but it looked to be more a case of an outstretched arm than a full elbow.

City were not about to lie down though, and Sinclair headed over from Stephen Jordan's deep cross.

With four minutes left, Ingimarsson defended very well to get the faintest flick on a cross, putting Corradi off just enough for him to head off target.

Subs Shane Long and Brynjar Gunnarsson then did well to win Reading a corner, and Sidwell threw himself at it but couldn't keep it down.




With time almost up, Doyle did exceptionally well to power past Richard Dunne on the left.. Long's backheel then gave the number nine a chance but Weaver stuck out a leg to deny him from six yards.

Gunnarsson then unleashed a superb drive from 30 yards, and Weaver was again on hand with a diving save at full stretch.

With four minutes of injury time to be played, Reading were relatively comfortable against City's 10 men. There was a scare when Samaras was almost in, but he was offside anyway.

It was Reading who nearly scored another, when Long's great leap put Doyle in acres. He rounded the keeper, but Trabelsi did excellently to get back and clear off the line.

The final whistle soon blew, and Reading had dug in to take all three points with a solid team performance.




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