Championship - Mad Bikey hands Burnley win

Eurosport - Sun, 10 May 13:01:00 2009

Reading defender Andre Bikey self-destructed as a late penalty by Graham Alexander gave Burnley a 1-0 win in the first-leg of the Championship play-off semi-final.

FOOTBALL 2008-2009 Championship Reading Burnley-Reading defender Andre Bikey rips his shirt off in disgust after being sent off during the 1-0 play-off semi-final first leg defeat at Turf Moor - 0

Scottish defender Alexander made it 10 out of 10 penalties this season after, with seven minutes remaining, defender Andre Bikey pulled Steven Thompson just inside the Reading box.

The 37-year-old full-back sent Royals keeper Marcus Hahnemann the wrong way and the ball into the top right of the goal, while Bikey's sending off in injury-time for stamping on Robbie Blake was followed by a bizarre display of dissent in which he ripped his shirt off and screamed abuse at referee Martin Atkinson before being led off the pitch by Marcus Hahnemann.

Bikey's double self-destruction were two rare highlights in a turgid game that was low on the quality one would expect on two of the so-called ball-playing sides in the second tier.

Reading had most of the possession and the better opportunities while Burnley played on the counter attack without ever truly threatening.

Clarets keeper Brian Jensen made a double save on 24 minutes to keep the hosts level and, 11 minutes later, he denied Bikey a sure goal with a superb reflex stop when the Cameroon defender headed a corner towards goal and striker Jim Paterson's chest blocked Kevin Doyle's rebound finish on the line.

Neither side could string together more than two passes, and even the aerial battle was a poor display, with misdirected headers and aimless long balls doing little to encourage a lukewarm crowd.

The second half fared little better until the grandstand finale.

Paterson forced Hahnemann to parry with a long-range effort after Gunnarsson dilly-dallied while Jimmy Kebe fluffed his lines after a superb touch sent him through, electing to take a touch and shoot from a difficult angle when team-mates were free in the middle.

Then came Bikey's spectacular blowout.

On 83 minutes he clearly hauled back substitute Thompson and, while Bikey's feet were planted outside the box, his opponent was just inside.

Despite the clarity of the foul, Bikey reacted furiously, displaying the mannerisms of a man subject to a gross miscarriage of justice.

Alexander despatched the penalty but the Reading centre-half's loss of control was not even close to being complete.

Three minutes into injury-time, Bikey inexplicably stamped on the knee of Blake and, when Martin Atkinson flashed him a straight red card, he tore his jersey off his own back and howled at the sky while beating his chest and pumping his fists.

It was an embarrassing end to the season for Bikey, who will almost certainly be handed a minimum three-match ban, and a Royal pain for boss Steve Coppell who afterwards said there was "no place for that in football" and will have to do without a first-choice centre-half for the must-wing return match at a home ground they have not won on since January.

Reda Maher / Eurosport

Comment 9 - 28 of 28

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  1. it is still same red blood that made us human - from­ viera to materrazi, rooney, drogba, d. alves, bikey­ etc. please introduce some strict penalties for such­ behaviours, removal of jersey and showing us a­ 'victoria' hidden just above the pubic hair. we­ need more decency pls.

    From Paul, on Wed 20 May 12:19PM

  2. I never saw the game but from what I have read of the­ comments Reading was unlucky to lose, Bikey should be­ got rid of by Reading, they don't want a player of­ his calibre to play for them. I hope that Reading wins­ on Tuesday.

    From Lizzy Ingram, on Sun 10 May 6:20PM

  3. Full marks to Steve Coppell who made no excuses on­ behalf of another lunatic who just asked to be sent­ off. As a Burnley fan i admit Reading did not deserve­ to lose until the crazy mans tantrums at the end. Not­ very keen on the choice of ref. for Tuesday though Mike­ Riley i think. The penalty he awarded to Portsmouth­ yesterday at Ewood Park was extremely harsh (they­ missed it anyway) the Rovers defender had turned his­ head away from the ball so how could it be deliberate­ hand ball ?

    From Ross H, on Sun 10 May 1:55PM

  4. the kids are easily better than burnley so thats­ bull**** excuse from an arsenal fan who cant admit­ defeat, apart from the lack of experience many would­ argue the kids are better than the first team.

    From Matthew, on Sun 10 May 12:24PM

  5. comment 17 u mean u beat the arsenak kids get ur facts­ right

    From Julio, on Sun 10 May 10:46AM

  6. two sides playing good football but cancelled each­ other out as for peaple wrighting reading off its a­ tuffy for burnley on tuesday night

    From ALBERT, on Sun 10 May 9:36AM

  7. To begin with, I'm a proud African. black as coal­ so don't nobody try to give me the racist @#$%. The­ behavior of certain African players on the field these­ days is abominable and must be condemned in no­ uncertain terms. drogba, laryea Kingston and andre­ Bikey; Anyway isn't it the same Bikey "the­ beast" who assaulted a medic on the field of play­ in GHANA CAN (ACN) 2008?. A gorilla indeed.

    From Brakojo, on Sun 10 May 9:28AM

  8. bikey what a pr i c k

    From P, on Sun 10 May 9:04AM

  9. looks like reading is going the way it usually­ does......fading at the end of the season to­ championship obscurity!

    From CHRISTOPHER C, on Sun 10 May 8:24AM

  10. I laughed at that one too. Bikey described as a­ guerilla and someone thought he was being described as­ a gorilla!

    From Peter, on Sun 10 May 7:53AM

  11. You really can't blame the copper for laughing, I­ thought it was bloody hilarious after I had got over my­ initial outrage for the stamp on robbie.

    And no I­ didn't think bikey acted like a guerilla as reading­ were by far the stronger force last night.

    guerilla -­ a member of an irregular armed force that fights a­ stronger force by sabotage and harassment

    UTC

    From tintin-3726, on Sun 10 May 7:08AM

  12. "Scottish defender Alexander (pictured)" -­ where?? Looks like an upset Bikey in the picture.... or­ he's wearing a copper's uniform and a smile on­ his face...

    From Ashley B, on Sun 10 May 6:07AM

  13. viva espana clearly knows nothing about football, must­ be a chelsea or arsenal fan and cant stomach the fact­ Burnley beat them. As an honest Burnley fan i can only­ say Reading outplayed us today and should be 1 or 2 up­ over us, the only plus we can take from the match is­ that we did get a penalty and that Bikey is an absolute­ tool and for his behaviour alone is deserving being a­ goal down. i think Duberry should have had a yellow­ card for the awful tackle on Gudjohnson, it was late,­ it was nasty and it ended his match, and later on­ pulling Paterson down, but then Duff should have been­ carded for his practical assault on Kitson. all in all­ a poor match and i hope theres more to see at the­ Madjeski

    From Matthew, on Sun 10 May 4:20AM

  14. why is it ok to compare wayne rooneys behaviour as­ animal like. did you not see the outburst at reading.­ the guy was definately doing a silverback impression. a­ simple observation.

    From leigh, on Sun 10 May 1:05AM

  15. leighsmith1889 -that is absolutely disgusting, the­ comment u made..

    its ppl like u thick inbreds who if­ had half brain wud b a 'half wit'
    that give­ good ppl a bad name..u obviously thought u were being­ clever
    u mo ron...i hope u dont have n e kids cos i­ feel very sorry for their
    future with a idiot of a­ parent like u..
    u rac sist biggot...

    From mshah110, on Sat 9 May 11:33PM

  16. Looks like he's a Drogba wanna-be

    From Dave, on Sat 9 May 11:11PM

  17. Well done Burnley.

    I feel sorry for the Reading fans­ after Bikeys performance. Felt you guys had the edge on­ us, and we were lucky not to be behind thanks to the­ Beasts double save, and the goal line clearance.

    Still­ very wide open though, and anyones game.

    I think Steve­ Coppells thoughts that it wasnt a penalty were deluded­ though.

    From helen, on Sat 9 May 9:43PM

  18. Sounds like I missed one of the moments of the season.­ Did nobody tell Bikey this was a football match not an­ internecine guerilla war. Do you think CHEST-HAIR might­ take him on in the Blue Square Premier next season?

    From ALAN G, on Sat 9 May 9:41PM

  19. Is that policeman laughing in the picture.

    From rsimo, on Sat 9 May 9:32PM

  20. I'm not a Reading fan but I watch a lot of­ championship and league 1 football and Reading are a­ very entertaining team. Anyone who thinks they are­ poor or trash or whatever needs to give up on football­ and take up a new interest like babysitting or­ something coz football is not for you.

    From GullyGang, on Sat 9 May 9:17PM
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