Reading 3-0 Newport County: Player Ratings
A confident, profligate but eventually effective performance sent the Royals through to the knockout stage of the EFL Trophy.
David Button: 6
A good, albeit not all that difficult, evening for Reading’s back-up goalkeeper. Button didn’t have any heroics to pull off but he dealt with everything thrown at him, making a couple of saves in the second half, and getting out quickly at one point in the first half to nod clear an awkward long ball.
Ashqar Ahmed: 7
Another really bright showing from someone starting to make an impression at first-team level. Ahmed was composed at right-back, looking assured defensively and getting forward well down that side of the pitch. Did really well to win a free-kick right outside the area at one point in the first half through sheer tenacity when the move seemed to have broken down.
Amadou Mbengue: 6
A typically confident performance at the back from Mbengue who gave Reading some steel at the back defensively and put them on the front foot at some times too, bringing the ball out confidently. Pinged a beauty of a crossfield over to Camara early on in the first half. Withdrawn in the second half when he got a knock, being replaced by Holzman.
Jeriel Dorsett: 6
Dorsett got his first start in a while, but this time at centre-back, and it was a fairly straightforward evening for him. Looked solid defensively and distributed the ball well enough, not really needing to do anything overly complicated with the ball, but his left-footedness gave Reading some nice balance in playing out. Withdrawn for Abraham Kanu late on.
Andre Garcia: 7
This was the right kind of game for Garcia at left-back - one in which he had plenty of license to get forward and cause the opposition problems - and he enjoyed doing that. He looked sharp in support of Camara, showing some typically good footwork and willingness to push into the final third.
Shay Spencer: 6
Playing as the deepest midfielder in Reading’s three, he kept things ticking over nicely, using the ball intelligently and effectively. He didn’t have to do anything too adventurous tonight, with Wing and Elliott given the creative roles ahead of him, but he provided a solid base behind them. Taken off for Knibbs in the second half.
Lewis Wing: 7
A more adventurous evening for Wing, who was given a more advanced role while Spencer took over quarterback duties.
He almost opened the scoring early on, forcing a save with an effort from an absurd distance, and was involved in the final third numerous times after that. One time in the first half he played Wareham through really well, and he provided the pass to Knibbs for the opener, dinking the ball cutely over the top.
While Wing doesn't offer the same energy in that more advanced spot that others do, he does add control higher up the pitch, which Selles might be keen to use more often. That said, Wing could have been more ruthless with chances himself, sometimes seeming unusually shot-shy.
Ben Elliott: 6
For me, Elliott’s performance was a nice summary of how Reading performed overall: looking sharp and inventive further back on the pitch, but lacking a cutting edge in the final third.
His link-up play was positive, allowing Reading to progress the ball upfield nicely, but when he got close to goal he generally seemed a bit too hesitant, or failed to trouble the keeper. He did however come the closest of anyone in the first half, rattling the post.
Adrian Akande: 5
No shortage of application, as per, but he struggled to make a proper impact on the game really, outside a first-half shot (wide) and a dangerous second-half low cross (defended).
Withdrawn for Campbell in the second half, who made a bigger contribution, so on the basis of tonight’s showing, Campbell’s spot in the first team on the right isn’t under immediate threat.
Jayden Wareham: 6
Up until his second-half goal, this had been a frustratingly profligate evening for Wareham. While he always works hard and his all-round play seems to be improving, he appeared to lack ruthlessness in front of goal, at one point neglecting to shoot in the first half after being played in behind by Wing.
Still, he was on hand at close range to make it 2-0 from Campbell’s cross, giving him his third of the season, so hopefully he can build on that confidence boost.
Mamadi Camara: 5
While Camara generally seemed better than his performance on Saturday, looking sharper and more involved, he’s still not quite able to make enough of an impression in the final third. I want to see him being more decisive, but he may also need to bulk up a tad.
Subs
Louie Holzman: 6
Got the last 35 minutes or so when he replaced Mbengue, and didn’t have much of great difficulty to deal with.
Like the man he replaced he loved a crossfield pass tonight, something he more often does as the left-sided centre-back, so getting to do that from the side of his stronger foot allowed Reading to get the ball forward quickly through him.
Harvey Knibbs: 8
Provided the killer instinct which Reading had been lacking before his arrival, popping up with two pretty typical Knibbs goals. For the first, he made a nice run in behind and had the composure to finish past the ‘keeper, while the second was a bit more fortuitous as a cross came straight to his head at very close range, but you’ve got to be in those positions in the first place if you want to score.
As for his all-round play, he contributed well to Reading’s intensity in the final third, allowing the Royals to disrupt Newport high up the pitch.
Michael Craig: 6
Replaced Ahmed on 64 minutes in the same triple swap that introduced Knibbs and Campbell. While he had a less entertaining time on the pitch, with the others more heavily involved in the goals, he got forward well from right-back.
Chem Campbell: 8
That’s three assists in two games for Campbell, who's looking so much more confident and effective down the right. He picked out Wareham for the second goal and Knibbs for the third, and had the space and time down the flank to get in on the fun even more. On one occasion he played through and probably should have beaten the keeper, but forced a save at the near post.
Abraham Kanu: N/A
Great to see him back after a lengthy layoff due to injury. He got around eight minutes of normal time, coming on for Dorsett as Reading's left-sided centre-back, and it'll be interesting to see if he now immediately leapfrogs Holzman (current third choice in this position).
Average: 6.3/10
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