Cardiff City thumped at Reading....
By Rogero
January 3 2006
Outplayed, outfought, outclassed. Cardiff City were given a footballing lesson in front of a near capacity crowd at the Madjeski Stadium on New Year Bank Holiday Monday......(more)
It could have been 8 or 9, Reading tore the Bluebirds to shreds in all departments. Only some desperate defending and a string of fine saves prevented the home side running up a cricket score. The Bluebirds were exposed as a side who cannot compete with a quality team on top form which Reading were this afternoon. The afternoon was made worse by the car park "full" sign being posted just as we got to the gate after a twenty minute queue! Some games are better off being consigned to history!
The amazing thing is that for a team who before Xmas were being told by the manager that he wanted a good festive period ( we actually got 3 points from 4 games ) very few are actually criticising the team after getting "mullered". It puts into perspective the difference between the top two teams in the division and the dozen or so "also rans" all of whom could still make it into the playoffs. It proves that the league is very tight when you can have a poor spell, and four points from five games is relegation form and hardly drop down the division at all.
A nice FA Cup rest from league action next weekend with a trip to the marbled halls of Highbury, the last time I went there with Cardiff the crowd was about 15,000 the Clock End was open and we lost 1-3. At least there's a roof now!
Reading: Hahnemann, Murty, Shorey, Sonko, Ingimarsson, Little (Oster 76), Sidwell, Harper, Convey (Hunt 72), Kitson (Long 76), Doyle. Subs Not Used: Stack, Gunnarsson.
Goals: Sidwell 11, Sonko 32, Kitson 51, Sidwell 71, Kitson 76 pen.
Cardiff: Alexander, Weston (Darlington 82), Barker, Purse, Loovens, Koumas, Whitley, Ledley, Cooper (Ardley 58), Lee, Jerome. Subs Not Used: Margetson, Cox, Ricketts.
Goal: Jerome 62.
Att: 22,061.
Ref: R Olivier (W Midlands).
Final Score - Reading (2) 5 v Cardiff City (0) 1