Monday, 9 April 2007
Reading home. What was the score? Drew 0-0
Not 3 but a single point to add to the total, one I was pleased with in the end as Reading looked increasingly threatening as we tired in the last 15 minutes. With Jerome Thomas again putting in another frustrating performance and Ambrose too often disappearing from the radar, we lacked any real quality going forward despite Bent (D) and Zheng's non-stop commitment but on too many occasions the final ball went astray in a noisy but clearly tense Valley.
¶ 18:03 
Not 3 but a single point to add to the total, one I was pleased with in the end as Reading looked increasingly threatening as we tired in the last 15 minutes. With Jerome Thomas again putting in another frustrating performance and Ambrose too often disappearing from the radar, we lacked any real quality going forward despite Bent (D) and Zheng's non-stop commitment but on too many occasions the final ball went astray in a noisy but clearly tense Valley. Pards, who started with Ambrose over Faye also lost both Marcus Bent (hamstring) and HH (knee ligaments) to injury in the first half-hour, thus with Holland and Thatcher as replacements, it meant we reverted to the team I would personally have started with.
Reading with little to play for impressed me with their spirit and play and if the deadlock was to be broken they looked the more likely to profit as the game went on. Song probed but an earlier booking hampered him and Pards was right to replace him before Graham Poll lost his nerve and flashed a red card at the youngster. El Khak came the closest for us (picture), and although it was a fine header crashed off the underside of the bar, he perhaps should have put us in front after just 5 minutes as we never got as close to scoring again.
The positives are that it is another point, another point more than Sheffield United and a point closer to Fulham, who were beaten at home by Man City. Just as imperative was another clean sheet with Diawara, who has been outstanding during the recent defensive lock-out, again dominant.
I am edgy and the nerves don't diminish. We have stalled a bit on the creating chances front and Darren Bent in particular, with the added responsibility of being team captain, has looked over-anxious in the last 3 matches and it is the time once again for some further big performances from our more creative players.
There are plenty more emotions and grey hairs to be had as Sheffield United host West Ham next Saturday with Fulham away at today's opponents Reading. Wigan play Sunday like we do because of the Grand National.
Super Al: "We keep our unbeaten run going, it was a tough game, a clean sheet and that point might be important in the scheme of things. I've never looked over my shoulder in my life, and I'm not going to start doing that now."
