7th August 2010
Game #1
Match Attendance : 15914
Match Rating : ***
The wave of optimism regarding this season came crashing down around Reading fans today after losing at home to predicted strugglers Scunthorpe with the local radio dubbing today "balloon day" after the game.
The almighty pop happened for Reading in just the 9th minute when a defence splitting pass from the Scunthorpe right back played through to Jonathon Forte was met with a certain complacency by the Reading defence and once Griffin was beaten by Forte, he played the ball across the six yard box and after a cruel deflection coming off a Reading defender, Garry Thompson was there to burst Reading's bubble who had been on top and cruising before the goal went in.
The goal itself caused controversery with the linesman incorrectly calling offside before the referee for the day, Fred Graham, overruled him and let the goal stand, causing mass derision from both Reading players and fans alike who thought the goal had been chalked off.
It didn't take long for the Royals golden boy of the moment, Gylfi Sigurdsson, to make his mark on the new season with his first goal one he won't forget anytime soon. After a series of close calls for Scunthorpe keeper, Murphy, 15 minutes after the Iron had taken the lead, they were pegged back to square one after Sigurdsson picked the ball up about 30 yards from goal, rounded two players and promptly stuck the ball into the top corner to send Reading fans into raptures. The game kept up this fast pace action for the first half with Reading holding much of the ball, but not creating many clear cut chances before half time.
The second half started at a bright pace for Reading who came out fired up, winning corner after corner at the start of the second half. In a nasty incident however, Long clashed with Mirfie for the ball who appeared to be injured with a possible head injury, stretchered off he was replaced by Raynes. This didn't change the flow of the game with the ever present Jones heading everything away for Scunthorpe that Reading threw at them.
On the hour mark, the Iron showed Reading how corners should be done with Jones proving his head is useful in the opposition box as well with a great run into the box. Finding himself unmarked, he put a bullet header into the corner to put Scunthorpe into the lead which they would then hold onto for the rest of the game. Brian McDermott tried to change things up in the remaining half hour, with young striker Church coming on, and academy starlet Antonio playing upfront with him after Shane Long picked up a knock.
The best chance for Reading to get back into the game fell to Simon Church when the ball bobbled to him about 10 yards out, off balance he struck the ball, but his shot, with only ten minutes left on the clock was weak and easily stopped by Murphy leaving him regretting wasting his chance. Scunthorpe despite being run close a few more times managed to hold on for the three points and Nigel Adkins men have got off to a great start to the season.
Reading will hope to bounce back in the league with an away trip next up to recently relegated, and cash strapped Portsmouth who posted a 2-0 loss away to Coventry for their first game, only managing to name four subs in the process, with Steve Cotteril having a mountain to climb to keep Portsmouth in relative safety for the year it seems.
Scunthorpe go on next week to play the champions of League one from last season, Norwich, who lost the first game of the new Championship season 3-2 at home to Watford, so will be hoping to get their points tally off the ground and up and running, in what will be a battle for survival for the position in the Championship if they continue to lose key games to potential survival competitors such as Watford.
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