Reading 3-1 Peterborough United: The Show Goes On

A wonderful team goal, a Harvey Knibbs close-range finish and a cherry on top from Charlie Savage earned the Royals a big win against a dangerous Posh side on Reading’s return from the international break.

Matchdays have long since taken on an extra, more poignant meaning in these parts. Not merely the 90 minutes of entertainment we look forward to as escapism from our daily lives, now they’re our refuge from the grim, relentless reality of Reading Football Club itself.

Today’s game against Peterborough United was no different. While most international breaks are pretty dull, the last fortnight has included a court case, the surprise release of the 2022/23 accounts, ongoing takeover negotiations and a curiously timed influx of media appearances from still-hopeful Reading owner Rob Couhig.

It’s been relentless, tiring and worrying. It certainly hasn’t been in keeping with why we became football fans. No, we became football fans to watch hard-working, likeable, relatable players put in a shift to be proud of and be rewarded with an entertaining win.

And that’s what we got today: 90 minutes that reminded us just how right we were to fall in love with football in the first place. It wasn’t perfect - the visitors were a threat all afternoon and perhaps deserved something from the game - but still, a patched-up Reading team threw off the distractions of the last two weeks to once again get the job done, and in some style too.

In short: the epitome of Reading FC at its best and the antithesis of Reading FC at its worst.

Anyway, enough of all that behind-the-scenes nonsense. This team deserves to be talked about in its own context, not merely set against the chaos unfolding off the pitch. The Royals’ pressing was energetic throughout, attacking play was consistently positive and purposeful, and when Reading had to stand tall at the other end, they did so.

That last part was particularly impressive. Noel Hunt was dealt another two absences with the loss of Tyler Bindon (ill) and Andre Garcia (picked up a knock), meaning a makeshift back four of Tivonge Rushesha, Michael Stickland, Andy Yiadom and Kelvin Abrefa. That’s two right-backs, a rookie central midfielder and a rookie centre-back - not that the inexperience was evident today.

To get the points, Reading had to fight off a dangerous and stubborn Peterborough side. While the Royals have often struggled against more physical, direct teams, Posh presented a distinctly different challenge, moving the ball around sharply, looking creative and pacey going into the final third.

Peterborough had more than their fair share of shots - 16 to the Royals’ 12 - including some quality opportunities. The fact that they kept pushing, even at 3-0 and then with added confidence at 3-1, demonstrated the risk Reading were facing. Despite everything Reading did right today - working hard, defending strongly and attacking well - this was no cruise.

Reading were made to work for the points, but once again got over the line. The unbeaten run carries on, the playoff push continues at pace. In spite of everything, the show goes on.

Hunt made three changes to the team that drew 1-1 with Stevenage just before the international break. Rushesha and Stickland (back from suspension) came in at the back while Mamadi Camara was preferred to Jayden Wareham.

Reading (4-3-3): Pereira; Rushesha, Stickland, Yiadom, Abrefa; Knibbs, Wing, Savage; Campbell, Ehibhatiomhan, Camara

Subs: Button, Holzman, Kanu, Carroll, Bodin, Akande, Wareham

Reading started strongly and the game plan was immediately apparent: press aggressively and look to get the front three in with balls over the top. A few times in the opening stages those tactics showed promise.

Seven minutes in, the Royals were rewarded. Quick, sharp passing around and then inside the penalty area unlocked the visitors. Lewis Wing into Charlie Savage, out to Abrefa, back to Wing, into Camara, laid off to Kelvin Ehibhatiomhan... and into the back of the net. Whether the last touch came from Chem Campbell or Peterbough’s Sam Hughes doesn’t matter: Reading had just scored one of their best team goals in a long time. 1-0.

I have a suspicion that how well Reading start a game sets the tone for the home crowd’s noise levels, and in this case, the quick start on the pitch was reciprocated in the stands. The Royals had their tails up and looked eager for a second goal.

Camara almost had it 10 minutes in when a long ball found him in behind. He tried to lob the ‘keeper but Jed Steer was out quickly to smother the danger.

The visitors started to grow into the game though and much of the remainder of the first half was a pretty even affair with both sides looking dangerous and creating openings. The best of them for Posh came around quarter of an hour in when they got in down Reading’s left, a low cross came in, but it somehow wasn’t tucked home at the back post.

Reading weren’t really doing enough with their openings though. Some dangerous low crosses here, some unconvincing long-range shots there... the Royals had a few higher gears attack-wise to go into after the break, and lost momentum somewhat as the half progressed.

Half time: 1-0

Reading had the better of the chances after the restart, winning the ball high to good effect a couple of times. A Camara flick almost found a teammate for a clear run on goal at one point, and a few minutes later he was played in himself - by Savage after a turnover - but the young winger couldn’t get a shot away.

Unfortunately for him, when he could get a shot away, someone else was there to finish it off. Shortly before the hour mark, Savage swung in a cross from the left, Camara rose high to head the ball goalwards, and Harvey Knibbs stabbed home from very close range for 2-0.

I found it difficult to tell from my spot in Y23 who’d got the last touch. Despite a replay making it very clear that it was Knibbs’ goal, the fact that most of the team wheeled off to celebrate with Camara made it look like it was his. See if you can spot Knibbs (the actual goalscorer) in this video going off to celebrate almost entirely on his own on the far side.

Reading had a brief scare shortly after, with Savage giving the ball away at the back before almost giving away a penalty. Fortunately the referee waved away Posh’s vehement protests, and even more fortunately Savage decided to make it 3-0 instead.

Wareham’s debut involvement as the Royals’ first sub of the afternoon (for Camara, just after the hour mark) was exactly what we want to see from him. Quarterback Wing sprayed a ball in behind to find Wareham’s clever run, he fought off the challenge of the defender and slid in a perfect low cross for the onrushing Savage, who had the simple job of knocking it home for 3-0.

Ehibhatiomhan hadn’t had a bad game as Reading’s lone centre-forward to that point, but Wareham was almost immediately more impactful. When you have someone with the passing range of Wing, that unlocks the movement of Wareham: a willing and tenacious runner in behind, as we also saw in the build-up to Knibbs’ penalty against Wrexham.

Just to ensure that the final half an hour or so wouldn’t be plain sailing, Posh immediately pulled a goal back. They broke through Reading’s press on their left adeptly, burst into space in behind Rushesha, and though the low cross was initially scuffed at, Kwame Poku then slammed home through a crowd of bodies for 3-1.

Both sides carried enough of a threat in the closing quarter of the match to underline the point that this game could in theory still go any way. Though the Royals led by two, just one goal by Posh would have turned a comfortable advantage into a precarious one.

Accordingly, Joel Pereira and his makeshift back four had to be on their guard in the closing stages. Reading’s ‘keeper came up trumps when needed though, making a vital one-on-one save right after the fourth goal of the afternoon.

Reading weren’t content with just the three scored themselves though. Yiadom forced an excellent save with a powerful header from a Wing cross, Wareham’s overhead kick from the resulting corner was cleared off the line, and Savage hit a venomous volley from a Knibbs cross, but Steer was equal to it.

Hunt turned to his bench a few more times late on. Adrian Akande (newly bald - a look that suits him well) was introduced for Ehibhatiomhan in the 78th minute, while a triple change was made in the 90th. It was a collector’s item - ever-presents Savage and Knibbs both being subbed - along with Campbell. On came Tom Carroll, Louie Holzman and Billy Bodin.

Those three formed part of what I’d describe as a 5-2-3 in the six minutes of added time. Hunt’s turned to that formation a number of times before to close games out and did so once again today.

Full time: 3-1

And would you look at that - Reading are back in the playoffs! Cheques* are in the post for Charlton Athletic and Blackpool**, whose wins over Huddersfield Town and Bolton Wanderers respectively meant the Royals’ result was enough to put us into the top six.

*Metaphorical cheques as we can’t afford real ones at the moment

**Will be rescinded if they beat us on Tuesday

Eight games to go. We couldn’t, could we?