FOOTBALL Live

Monday April 27, 2009 Finished

0 - 2

Norwich City

Reading

  • Long 68’, 78’

184 comments | Write your comment

  • Live Commentary

    Time:90'
    • Norwich City
    • Reading
    • - Not quite a winner-takes-all clash at the Madejski on Sunday (kick-offs are at 13:15), but it will be if the Blades can't beat Palace at Selhurst Park. Join us for all the final-day action!!
    • 90+5' The match is over: great news for fans of Nottingham Forest and Plymouth, who are now safe. Barnsley's safety is in their own hands.
    • 90+5' Hahnemann claims what must surely be a final save after a header at the back post.
    • 90+4' Reading seeing out the final seconds.
    • 90+3' Hunt, who has had space in the final third on a couple of occasions late on but not been found by his team-mates, almost nicks the ball away from Marshall for a third.
    • 90+2' Reading defend a late corner easily.
    • 90+1' There will be four minutes of time added on.
    • 90' To go up automatically Reading will have to beat Birmingham at home while hoping Sheffield United do not win at Crystal Palace.
    • 89' Reading change: Alex Pearce on for Kitson.
    • 88' Norwich will be counting on Barnsley losing at Plymouth on Sunday while they will have to beat Charlton. That is if it stays the same here.
    • 87' Late pressing from the Canaries, but Lee and Gow cannot threaten as the latter's cross goes too close to Hahnemann.
    • 86' Kitson, who has been disappointing tonight, strikes for goal and Marshall makes the stop.
    • 85' Hunt tries to play in Hunt with a backheel and it is cut out. Clever - and it almost came off.
    • 84' Norwich change: A few minutes ago, just after the goal, Adrian Leijer came on for Shackell to add attacking numbers for the home team.
    • 83' Gow on the left tries to drive one himself but it trickles through to the keeper.
    • 82' Long on the right has men in the middle but a great angle to drive a shot; he opts to try and take Bertrand on, but loses the ball through poor control.
    • 81' Reading sub Matejovsky booked now for a foul.
    • 80' Norwich struggling to get forward now while Reading seem to have more legs in them. All psychological, you would expect.
    • 79' Lee booked for knocking into Duberry with an elbow. It's a bit harsh, that one. It was a straight arm.
    • 78' A SECOND GOAL FOR READING!! LONG AGAIN!! Kebe turns his man near the left-hand side corner flag and crosses with his right foot this time; and Long rises to nod inside the post.
    • 76' Hunt runs out of room as he seeks to bend in a cross from the left by-line. Before that Long did well to win a corner for Coppell's side.
    • 75' Norwich change: Luke Daley on for Carney.
    • 74' It is a poor corner and Reading head out before countering; Kebe plays it back for Kitson and goes for the return down the left, but it is a rubbish ball from the ginger prince. There were two men to the right, too.
    • 73' A long ball forward for Norwich which leaves Duberry struggling. He concedes a corner under pressure...
    • 72' What have Gunn's side got now? There is Jamie Cureton on the bench, who has ironically scored goals for City's relegation rivals Barnsley while on loan there this season.
    • 70' Hahnemann collects the ball at the near post after Lee's cross was deflected. Danger for Reading though...
    • 69' That could prove pivotal in the relegation fight - and indeed the battle for promotion...
    • 68' GOAL FOR READING!! Long at the far post!! A great cross from Kebe and the Irish striker was there to head home!!
    • 67' Carney checks inside from inside the box on the right and curls a ball with his left foot... Hahnemann gets a hand to it and Lee dives backwards to head... wide!!
    • 66' Kebe's low cross is not met by anyone but the ball comes back in and Kitson rises to almost head home!! Desperate defending again by Shackell and captain Gary Doherty.
    • 65' Long has no options and heads down the right side of the box before firing a shot just over from the angle. If it had been on target Marshall would have saved it, but it was unlucky nonetheless.
    • 64' Lee goes down near the Reading box but advantage is played as Russell has the ball... there is no way through and City are forced back over halfway.
    • 63' Reading change: Marek Matejovsky on for Cisse.
    • 62' Clingan with an excellent hard tackle on Harding as he sought to attack from left-back for Reading.
    • 61' Kitson looking for a path through on the by-line but is tackled.
    • 60' It is cleared. The tension is rising...
    • 59' McDonald penalised for a wild swipe on Rosenior. The home fans don't like it as the ref waited until the initial cross he managed to send in came to nothing before awarding it.
    • 58' Long with an excellent ball to the back stick which Kebe attacks to win a corner. Karacan sidesteps a challenge outside the box after the kick is cleared and his shot is blocked!! Last-ditch stuff.
    • 57' Norwich looking to send men forward. They are desperate for a win.
    • 56' Hunt rises to head at goal for Reading but he is blocked out and Marshall collects. He's not the biggest, the wide man.
    • 55' There are many comments below relating to supporters' allegiances. Feel free to leave your own - just keep it clean, please!
    • 54' Reading's defence surges out to catch several Norwich players offside as a set-piece is pumped in.
    • 53' Reading come forward but the cross in is deflected and Marshall just claims close to his near post.
    • 51' Bikey chasing back to cover with McDonald breathing down his neck... the Cameroon star falls over and grabs the ball inside the box!! He was fouled though and has a free-kick.
    • 50' Cisse with a bad tackle on Russell and picks up a deserved yellow card. The ball ran away from the Norwich midfielder in the middle of the park.
    • 49' Gow shoots from the right and it is just over!! Hahnemann would not have stopped it.
    • 48' chris_bullard01: "Same old Norwich, in their own hands and they throw it­ away, same as when they needed a point years ago­ against Fulham to stay in the Premier League - and went­ down 6-0."
    • 47' Home fan dominicknights reckons the Royals might as well not bother: "Reading can only get the play-offs."
    • 46' The second half starts, Norwich now kicking to our left.
    • - Will Reading go up? Will Norwich go down? Leave your thoughts below.
    • 45+2' The whistle sounds to end the first half 0-0.
    • 45+1' A late corner for the Royals, wasted as Hunt crosses low to the near post. His second ball in is better but straight to Marshall.
    • 45' Reading hold firm; there will be a single minute of time added on.
    • 44' Hunt upset at a decision against him as Norwich apply some pressure. A minute to half-time.
    • 42' Clingan with a first-time half-volley cracker that flies just wide of the far post!! That had the fans on their feet!!
    • 42' Reading change: Hunt on for Little, who is hurt.
    • 41' Alan Gow goes down wanting a foul after Bikey pushed him back as he sought to go past him - he was just inside the box!! Nothing given; it could have gone either way, but that is probably the right decision.
    • 40' Norwich counter though the excellent McDonald who takes on almost the entire away defence before just losing it towards the edge of the box.
    • 38' The corner comes to nothing. Steve Coppell said before the match that he will rest players as the most important part of the season could be yet to come: it sounds like he isn't harbouring much hope of the top two!! Hence no Doyle or Hunt (Stephen), both on the bench.
    • 37' Harding with an attacking run from left-back to earn a corner... there were a couple of crosses there that had Norwich worried.
    • 36' Kebe down the left, crossing low for Kitson to stretch... and foul. Long was lurking ahead of him too.
    • 35' Kebe almost away but Jon Otsemobor just gets a foot to the ball. Little threatens to cross from the resultant throw-in but ultimately gives away a free-kick fighting for the ball.
    • 34' Reading's goal difference is a lot better than that of Birmingham, six points ahead, and Sheffield United, five points ahead. After this game each club has one match left - next Sunday.
    • 33' Carney picks the ball up a long way out and drives a shot which Hahnemann is pleased to see fly over. Good effort.
    • 32' Ryan Bertrand, on loan from Chelsea, goes down while seeing the ball out of play after Karacan stood on his heel. He will be okay.
    • 31' Clingan clears down the left after Reading heap pressure on around the box.
    • 29' David Carney, on loan from Sheffield United, cannot keep a ball in play. Long doing a lot of running in attack for Reading.
    • 28' A long ball forward from Bikey runs through to Marshall and the two teams can take a breath.
    • 26' Bikey blasts it into the wall and City scramble clear.
    • 25' Another free-kick, closer to goal, after Kitson was fouled with his back to goal.
    • 24' Reading have a set-piece after McDonald was harshly punished for handball.
    • 23' Sammy Clingan bends it... into the side-netting!! Most of the crowd and your humble commentator believed it had gone in.
    • 22' McDonald with a burst from the left and is taken out by both Bikey and Liam Rosenior!! The yellow card comes out for Rosenior, who got most of him... the crowd wanted red, but it is the right decision from referee Clive Oliver.
    • 21' Jason Shackell, on loan from Wolves, heads wide of the near post from the set-piece.
    • 20' Cody McDonald does very well for Norwich to hold the ball up and earn a free-kick from the tough tackling of Reading nutter Andre Bikey.
    • 19' Play resumes. Norwich having more territorial possession now.
    • 18' Russell with a very nasty tackle on Karacan which leaves the Turkey U21 international hurt. He somehow avoids a yellow card for the swipe on his opponent's legs.
    • 17' Dan Harding, on loan at the Madejski Stadium from Norwich's hated rivals Ipswich, gets under Lee and the home fans want a foul. They don't get one.
    • 16' Good passing from Reading but Kitson's pass back to Jem Karacan finds touch instead. Norwich with an attacking throw.
    • 14' Alan Lee chasing about up front for City but yet to receive anything approaching service.
    • 13' Kebe again involved on the left, unable to create anything though. Excellent defending from Norwich.
    • 12' A hectic opening from the Royals. The Canaries really need to rein them in; I suppose there is a reason that one is near the top of the table and the other towards the bottom!
    • 10' Reading with a chance after Dave Kitson played in Long, who slid to knock through to Kebe... he could shoot but lays it back and Long's shot is blocked!!
    • 9' Darel Russell with a first-time shot from 20 yards after Reading fail to clear properly, straight down Marcus Hahnemann's neck. The American takes it cleanly.
    • 8' Shane Long, in attack for Reading after Noel Hunt broke his foot against Barnsley the other week, charges down a Marshall clearance; the goalie gets away with it after Kebe cannot find a shot after good work by Long and Glen Little.
    • 7' There are nerves all around this atmospheric ground in East Anglia. Bryan Gunn's men know they really need a result tonight.
    • 6' The away side still controlling possession. City unable to get the ball so far.
    • 4' Jimmy Kebe with the ball on the left, where Stephen Hunt is being rested from tonight for Reading, slipping a ball down the line... to no one.
    • 3' David Marshall is out quickly to claim for Norwich, who have 46 points and stand inside the relegation zone at present. They are three, four and five points adrift of their nearest rivals in the order mentioned previously.
    • 2' Reading with the early ball in the home half, but yet to create anything.
    • 1' There is a cracking atmosphere inside Carrow Road as the match begins, Norwich kicking from left to right in yellow and green. Reading in blue and white hoops.
    • - Fans of Birmingham and Sheffield United will be glued to the action - they are also fighting to reach the Premier League - while Barnsley, Nottingham Forest and Plymouth will be praying for a Royals win as they seek to safeguard their second-tier status.
    • - Norwich are desperate for three points which will help their quest for safety, while Reading can still go up automatically if they win.
    • - This is a hugely important match in the Championship season, for many clubs.

  • Summary

    • - Not quite a winner-takes-all clash at the Madejski on Sunday (kick-offs are at 13:15), but it will be if the Blades can't beat Palace at Selhurst Park. Join us for all the final-day action!!
    • 78' A SECOND GOAL FOR READING!! LONG AGAIN!! Kebe turns his man near the left-hand side corner flag and crosses with his right foot this time; and Long rises to nod inside the post.
    • 68' GOAL FOR READING!! Long at the far post!! A great cross from Kebe and the Irish striker was there to head home!!
    • 67' Carney checks inside from inside the box on the right and curls a ball with his left foot... Hahnemann gets a hand to it and Lee dives backwards to head... wide!!
    • 58' Long with an excellent ball to the back stick which Kebe attacks to win a corner. Karacan sidesteps a challenge outside the box after the kick is cleared and his shot is blocked!! Last-ditch stuff.
    • 51' Bikey chasing back to cover with McDonald breathing down his neck... the Cameroon star falls over and grabs the ball inside the box!! He was fouled though and has a free-kick.
    • 49' Gow shoots from the right and it is just over!! Hahnemann would not have stopped it.
    • 42' Clingan with a first-time half-volley cracker that flies just wide of the far post!! That had the fans on their feet!!
    • 41' Alan Gow goes down wanting a foul after Bikey pushed him back as he sought to go past him - he was just inside the box!! Nothing given; it could have gone either way, but that is probably the right decision.
    • 33' Carney picks the ball up a long way out and drives a shot which Hahnemann is pleased to see fly over. Good effort.
    • 23' Sammy Clingan bends it... into the side-netting!! Most of the crowd and your humble commentator believed it had gone in.
    • 10' Reading with a chance after Dave Kitson played in Long, who slid to knock through to Kebe... he could shoot but lays it back and Long's shot is blocked!!
    • - This is a hugely important match in the Championship season, for many clubs.

Live Team Line-Up

  • Referee: Clive Oliver

  • Norwich City

    Manager: Bryan Gunn

    Captain: Gary Doherty

    Starting line-up

    • D. Marshall
    • J. Otsemobor
    • J. Shackell Substitution Out (79′)
    • G. Doherty
    • R. Bertrand
    • A. Gow
    • S. Clingan
    • D. Russell
    • D. Carney Substitution Out (75′)
    • A. Lee Yellow Card
    • C. McDonald

    Subs

    • J. Cureton
    • S. Nelson
    • S. Lappin
    • A. Leijer Substitution In79′
    • L. Daley Substitution In75′

    Injured

    None

    Suspended

    None

  • Reading

    Manager: Steve Coppell

    Captain: Michael Duberry

    Starting line-up

    • M. Hahnemann
    • L. Rosenior Yellow Card
    • A. Bikey
    • M. Duberry
    • D. Harding
    • G. Little Substitution Out (42′)
    • K. Cisse Yellow Card
    • J. Karacan
    • J. Kebe
    • D. Kitson Substitution Out (89′)
    • S. Long Goals×2

    Subs

    • S. Hunt Substitution In42′
    • K. Doyle
    • M. Matejovsky Yellow Card
    • A. Federici
    • A. Pearce Substitution In89′

    Injured

    None

    Suspended

    None

Comment 125 - 144 of 184

Sort comments by: Most recent

  1. thank you reading town fans love you hope you go up we­ be next season roy kean

    From chrisbetts, on Mon 27 Apr 9:33PM

  2. Norwich are getting what they deserve,Gunn has not got­ a clue,neither has the board who appointed him,they­ need a manager to get them out of Div 1,I bet they now­ rue letting cureton go to Barnsley on loan he got a few­ points for them,

    From w44nty, on Mon 27 Apr 9:33PM

  3. beers on me to the forest fans

    From Jason W, on Mon 27 Apr 9:33PM

  4. FOREST ARE STAYING UP
    FOREST ARE STAYING UP
    FOREST ARE­ STAYING UP
    FOREST ARE STAYING UP
    FOREST ARE STAYING­ UP
    FOREST ARE STAYING UP
    FOREST ARE STAYING UP
    FOREST­ ARE STAYING UP
    FOREST ARE STAYING UP
    FOREST ARE STAYING­ UP
    FOREST ARE STAYING UP
    FOREST ARE STAYING UP
    FOREST­ ARE STAYING UP
    FOREST ARE STAYING UP
    FOREST ARE STAYING­ UP
    FOREST ARE STAYING UP

    From mattbarratt855, on Mon 27 Apr 9:33PM

  5. GOING DOWN GOING DOWN GOING DOWN GOING DOWN GOING­ DOWN!!!!!! hahahahahhaa

    From lewis.hood, on Mon 27 Apr 9:33PM

  6. WE LOVE YOU ARGYLE WE DO
    OH ARGYLE WE LOVE YOU

    From brian w, on Mon 27 Apr 9:32PM

  7. PLYMOUTH ARGYLE! TAKE THAT NORWICH PLYMOUTH ARGYLE!­ TAKE THAT NORWICH PLYMOUTH ARGYLE! TAKE THAT NORWICH

    From bradleyalec, on Mon 27 Apr 9:31PM

  8. come on!
    half a chance for barnsley!!!

    From ian, on Mon 27 Apr 9:31PM

  9. "KEEP KNOCKING THEM NAILS IN THE COFFIN"­ NORWICH ARE DEAD!!!!!

    From HELLO, on Mon 27 Apr 9:30PM

  10. FOREST!!!!!!!

    From Jesus, on Mon 27 Apr 9:30PM

  11. thanxs norwich the mighty forest staying up ?beers on­ for you delia ;lol

    From Jason W, on Mon 27 Apr 9:30PM

  12. die norwich scum die die die! This from an Ipswich­ FAN!!! Woohoo!

    From m_f_collins, on Mon 27 Apr 9:30PM

  13. gt in there u norwich scumbags, u rssss, fair play­ reading best team on dere day, good some rle good­ players kitson and little coming bk been boosts both­ unlucky with stoke and pompey. i hope they beat brum­ and united lose and they go up. bad blip but far better­ players and better coherence within their side compared­ to wolves.

    From francescagallagher, on Mon 27 Apr 9:28PM

  14. Keep it up Reading! Dont let Norwich score!

    From Rose, on Mon 27 Apr 9:28PM

  15. enjoy league one clingan with your (big club)! haha­ forest till i die

    From hallams11, on Mon 27 Apr 9:25PM

  16. c'mon norwich, don't get your heads down!

    From nmj61, on Mon 27 Apr 9:25PM

  17. WESTCOUNTRY LA LA LA WESTCOUNTRY LA LA LA WESTCOUNTRY­ LA LA LA WESTCOUNTRY LA LA LA

    From bradleyalec, on Mon 27 Apr 9:25PM

  18. Come on You Reds Come on You Reds Come on You Reds Come­ on You Reds Come on You Reds

    From andrewshaw45, on Mon 27 Apr 9:24PM

  19. PLYMOUTH ARE STAYING STAYING UP WOOOO

    From bradleyalec, on Mon 27 Apr 9:24PM

  20. keep them going in send them down ha ha city your­ rubbish

    From dazcoppin, on Mon 27 Apr 9:24PM
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