Reading Preview

By Mark Heys
April 19 2007

Bolton go into their penultimate home game against Reading this weekend aiming to make to sure that UEFA Cup football will be on the menu at the Reebok Stadium next season.

A defeat for the Wanderers away at Arsenal last weekend pushed hopes of a Champions League place further out of their reach but the UEFA option is still very much attainable for Sam Allardyce's troops.

Everton defeated Charlton Athletic last time out to leapfrog Bolton to fifth in the Premiership table but the participation of Chelsea and Manchester United in this years FA Cup final means that there will now be an extra European place up for grabs.

As many as eight teams could be representing England in next years European competitions with Wanderers also putting their name forward for a place in this summers Intertoto Cup if they do not qualify via the league placings.

Reading have had a good debut season in the top flight and lie just outside the top six but their win against Fulham last weekend was their first success since beating Aston Villa in mid-February.

At the start of December the Royals hammered Bolton in their first ever Premiership meeting with free scoring Kevin Doyle notching the only goal of the game at the Madejski Stadium.

Bolton will be without the supended Ivan Campo for the visit of the Berkshire side after the Spaniard was sent off late on in last week's defeat against Arsenal so Andranik Teimourian could come into the reckoning.

Defender Tal Ben-Haim may return after missing the last two games with a hamstring problem but it is likely that Wanderers will stick with the back four which played at the Emirates Stadium.

Quinton Fortune and Joey O'Brien are still on the sidelines with injury and Henrik Pedersen is out of favour after a recent contractual disagreement with the club management.

Reading have a slight doubt over their top scorer Kevin Doyle (hamstring) but skipper Graeme Murty (calf), winger Bobby Convey (knee) and ex-Bolton midfielder Glen Little (achillies) remain unavailable for selection.

Centre half Ibrahima Sonko is ruled out long term with a knee injury as is Peter Mate whilst youngster Aaron Brown is still suffering the ill affects of a thigh problem

Striker Leroy Lita serves the second game of a three match ban against Wanderers and he is also out of action for Reading's home encounter against Newcastle United on Monday week.

PREMIERSHIP RECORD

02/12/2006 READING 1 (Doyle) BOLTON WANDERERS 0

PREMIERSHIP FORM GUIDE:

Played: 1

Won: 0

Drawn: 0

Lost: 1

CONNECTIONS

Brian Bromley, Dean Crombie, Les Ferdinand, Robert Fleck, John Hulme, Harry Kinsell, Glen Little, John Salako, Dave Sutton, Bill Wrigglesworth, Tommy Wright.

IT HAPPENED WHEN BOLTON PLAYED READING

In October 1996 the Bolton striker John McGinlay scored the winning goal against the Royals in a 2-1 victory at Burnden Park. Later on in that game he was forced to go in goal after goalkeeper Keith Branagan was sent off and he produced a number of fine saves.

The most famous game between these two sides came in the 1995 Play Off Final at Wembley Stadium which ended in a 4-3 Bolton victory. Reading where 2-0 up thanks to goals from Adrian Williams and Lee Nogan but a penalty save from Keith Branagan changed the game in the Wanderers favour. Owen Coyle, Mixu Paatelainen and a double from Fabian De Freitas sent Bolton into the Premiership for the first time ever.

Ex-West Ham and Manchester City forward Trevor Morley netted a hat trick for Reading when these two sides met in February 1997. Morley later emigrated to Norway where he still resides.