LATE HEARTBREAK FOR UNITED AT READING

LATE HEARTBREAK FOR UNITED AT READING

Late, late Adam Le Fondre goal gives Reading the three points...

READING 1 (Le Fondre 90+6), UNITED 0.

Reading: McCarthy, Kelly, Bridge, Morrison, Pearce, Karacan (Akpan 8), Gutherie, Williams, Drenthe, Robson-Kanu (Le Fondre 66), Blackman (McCleary 71). Subs. Federici, Gunter, Gorkss, Akpan, Obita.

United: Kenny, Lees, Wootton, Pearce, Warnock, Tonge, Austin, Murphy, McCormack, Hunt (Poleon 60), Varney (Smith 83). Subs. Cairns, White, Green, Mowatt, Diouf.

Referee: N Swarbrick

Booked: Gutherie, A Pearce (Reading), Warnock, Murphy (Leeds)

Sent Off: Warnock (Leeds)

Att: 21, 167 (3,268 Leeds)

United's seventh game of the Sky Bet Championship saw Brian McDermott return to the Madejski Stadium to face Reading.

The United manager made one enforced change to his starting line-up from Saturday's victory at Bolton Wanderers by replacing injured right-back Lee Peltier with Tom Lees.

With only three minutes gone after the kick off there was a lengthy stoppage for Reading's Jem Karacan. Nigel Atkins was forced to withdraw the midfielder, who left the field on a stretcher, and he replaced Karacan with Hope Akpan.

Follow the stoppage for Jaracan to recieve medical attention it was United that had the first chance of the match through the onrushing Lees. Luke Varney worked the angle on the left side of the penalty area and his cross evaded everyone, but Lees arrived late at the box post but he miss timed his strike.

Moments later the home side brought Paddy Kenny into action when he saved well from a shot from distance from Danny Williams. Midway through the half it was Reading that threatened once again when Hal Robson-Kanu found himslef in space in the United area but his shot was straight into the arms of Kenny.

On the half-hour mark United midfielder Rudy Austin was close to claiming the opening goal of the evening. Austin battled his way through three Reading players while holding onto the ball, he then struck from just outside the area only to see his strike narrowly miss out and hit the goal stanchion.

The chance of the half fell to the home side on 40 minutes, following a foul by Jason Pearce. Danny Gutherie took the dead ball and Sean Morrison connected and his headed effort just just over the bar.

Just minutes later the home side had another free-kick from the same spot and ended with an identical outcome. This time Royston Drenthe was the supplier but Morrison was on the end of it and once again his headed attempt went over Kenny's bar.

Four minutes was shown by the fourth official at the end of the first half due to the early injury to Karacan but with no real goalscoring opportunities the open period ended goalless.

The second period began as the first ended. Morrison once again found himself on the end of a cross only for him to head the ball over the bar for the third successive time.

United started the second half positively and created dangerous openings in the opening 10 minutes but good blocking and defending from the home kept United at bay. On the hour-mark United manager Brian McDermott introduced Dominic Poleon to proceedings, in place of former Reading striker Noel Hunt.

Ross McCormack had a great chance to give United the advantage on 65 minutes when he was in space on the edge of the penalty area. The ball found its way through to McCormack after persistant work from Poleon. McCormack worked the space to strike at goal but the forwards shot went just over the crossbar.

With 10 minutes of the game remaining there was a chance at both ends. Varney had the first chance for United when he met a McCormack free-kick but his header went just over. Then moments later Akpan struck from distance but Kenny saved well down to his right side. 

Chances were at a premium in the final 10 minutes of the 90, with a battle in the midfield for possession taking place before the fourth official announced there would be four minutes of injury time.

Injury time was similar to the 10 minutes that preceeded until the final minute of the four when United almost nicked it at the last. The chance was created by a McCormack free-kick with Jason Pearce meeting the ball at the back post but he could only turn it wide of the mark.

With the four minutes of injury gone the game turned in the favour of the home side. Firstly Stephen Warnock saw red for a second yellow card of the game and with six minutes of injury time played the home side struck a deadly blow and sent United to defeat. From the resulting free-kick that Warnock was given his marching orders for Adam Le Fondre connected and finished with a precise header to hand United their first away defeat.

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