Everton 1 (Jagielka 62)
Reading 0
Reading were very unfortunate to come away with nothing after an excellent performance at Goodison today.
We were the better team for long periods, especially in the first half, but couldn't get a goal.
Everton were also lucky not to go down to ten men before the break when Lee Carsley caught Stephen Hunt just below the knee with a very reckless challenge.
The half time introduction of James Vaughan made a big difference for the Toffees, but we still had chances before Phil Jagielka narrowly beat the offside trap to head home the only goal.
Both teams had opportunites late on, and we never stopped fighting.
Jimmy Kebe nearly made an amazing impact just moments after coming off the bench, but Jagielka got in a great block after his incisive run.
Then James Harper hit the outside of the post from 25 yards, and it was just not to be our day in front of goal.
After a poor run of results, Steve Coppell and the Royals can be very proud of the performance today.
Put simply, if we keep playing like this then we should be fine come the end of the season.
We had guts, organisation and quality, and more performances of this nature would see us OK.
Everton: Howard; Neville, Lescott, Jagielka, Yobo, Cahill, Carsley, Arteta, Fernandes (Vaughan HT), Osman, Johnson
Subs: Wessels, Hibbert, Valente, Van der Meyde
Reading: Hahnemann; Murty (c), Shorey, Cisse, Sonko; Harper, Matejovsky, Oster (Kebe 81), Hunt; Doyle, Kitson (Long 75)
Subs: Federici, De La Cruz, Rosenior
Attendance: 36,582
Ref: M Halsey
First half
Reading stated their intent in the very first minute as Tim Howard was forced to scramble low to his left and dive to keep out Stephen Hunt's well-hit free kick.
Just a couple of minutes later we came close again, Dave Kitson heading over after a neatly-worked free kick from Nicky Shorey and John Oster.
Reading were the better team, although on 17 minutes Everton wanted a penalty, but Kalifa Cisse's handball was completely accidental.
It took until 21 minutes for the home side to have a meaningful shot, and even then Andy Johnson's effort was comfortably saved.
A moment later Lee Carsley was very lucky to stay on the pitch after catching Hunt on the knee with a wild challenge. A free kick was awarded, and Hunt was incensed as no card was shown.
We were on top at that stage, and a man advantage would really have aided our course as well looked to capitalise on some good play.
Steve Coppell's men were pretty comfortable, and put together a great team move on 37, keeping the ball very well until the impressive Marek Matejovsky dragged wide of Tim Howard's goal from 25 yards.
Reading were upping the ante, and another nice ball from Matejovsky saw Oster strike at the back post, but it was deflected wide.
Then Everton had a decent chance, Tim Cahill shooting well over after Leon Osman got away with a clear handball.
Cahill had another better chance in injury time, heading inches over at the near post from an inswinging corner.
Second half
Everton improved after the break, and Carsley dragged wide from distance on 47.
James Vaughan had come on at half time to give Everton more of a cutting edge, and his excellent run almost produced a goal on 50 but Cahill was inches away.
Reading then had a couple of decent chances, first when Kevin Doyle cut inside and pulled one wide.
The natives were getting restless, and Doyle slightly overhit a pass that would have seen James Harper clear.
Then Hunt's header almost gave Kitson a chance, but it was just too close to Tim Howard.
After that pressure though, David Moyes' men took the lead.
An Everton corner was eventually worked out to Leon Osamn on the edge of the box, and the midfielder looped a high, hopeful ball to the backpost.
Phil Jagielka was just onside, and he got a head on it, looping the ball over Marcus Hahnemann and in. The defender could well have been trying to just head it across goal, but he did not care as it dropped into the net.
Everton were lifted, and soon afterwards Osman's cross bounced off the top of the bar.
Cisse was forced to make a great block as Everton threw men forward, and we broke immediately, but Jagielka just got one of his toes on it as Matejovsky's ball looked destined to put Kitson in.
Everton had very much improved since Vaughan came on, and he unleashed a great overhead kick from 22 yards which Hahnemann had to save.
We were very much in the game though, and with a bit more precision and perhaps fortune in the final third we could have got something.
With ten minutes left, Jimmy Kebe came on, and he nearly made a superb impact, skipping past a challenge before it opened up for him, only for Jagielka to put in a cracking block on his goalbound shot.
Then with only five minutes left, Harper smacked the post with a stinging drive from 25. In the build-up, the ball had accidentally hit Carsley's hand, but it was probably just outside the box anyway.
Straight away Andy Johnson should have scored, but shot wide of a gaping goal after going round Hahnemann.
In injury time Hahnemann went up for a corner, and Everton were hanging on for their lives.
We more than held our own for much of the match, and the result was harsh.
Admittedly, Vaughan made a difference, but we still had plenty of good attacking moments, and defended doggedly.
Although defeat is never easy to take, we go back to Berkshire with renewed hope and belief in our squad after a very good performance against a top four side.
We have dropped into the bottom three, but based on today's performance there is very little between us and those at the top end of the table. If we can keep this up, we will win more games than we lose.
