12Mar
Three second half goals secure victory For Reading FCA second half Lewis Wing brace and and a Mamadi Camara goal were enough for the Royals to secure three points against Cambridge United and lift the Royals into the top six of the League One table.The visitors got the match underway on a bitterly cold evening in Berkshire, with both sides on the hunt for three League One points after cup ties this past weekend.Inside the first minute the U's had the first chance of the game, with Korey Smith guilty of firing well over on the volley from 12 yards out - an early let off for the Royals.Three minutes later Jordan Cousins sent a fierce volley goalwards, but Amadou Mbengue was able to deflect out for a corner. The set piece came to nothing, but it had been a strong opening five minutes for the visitors, who had enjoyed much of the possession and territory.In the ninth minute the first card of the game was brandished to Mamadi Camara for a late challenge on Elias Kachunga in the midfield.The Royals' first chance of the game came in the 12th minute with Ben Elliott hitting a low drive goalwards, but it was too close to Vicente Reyes in the United goal. Shortly after, former Cambridge man Sam Smith forced Reyes into a more difficult save with a fierce right footed effort from a narrow angle - the keeper was able to stand tall however and deflect away.A trio of chances in 90 seconds was completed when Jeriel Dorsett hit the outside of the post with a headed effort from close range. Smart footwork from Chem Campbell on the right hand wing saw the loanee fire in a cross in the direction of the full back, but his effort went agonisingly wide.Campbell almost got on the scoresheet himself on 17 minutes, cutting inside from the right and sending a left footy strike on target at Reyes' goal. The effort looked to be sailing into the top corner, but the keeper was able to settle his feet and claw the ball into his arms at the second attempt - after a slow start, the Royals were in the ascendancy.Charlie Savage was the next to have a go at goal after superb forward play from Smith. The forward was able to control a long ball forward and poke to the Welshman, whose left footed half volley went over the bar.Just after half hour mark, Smith had a chance to put Rubén's Royals a goal to the good. A precision ball from Elliott saw the forward expertly beat the offside trap, but his left footed curled effort was palmed away by Reyes.Lewis Wing let fly from Lewis Wing territory in the 35th minute, a strike so similar to one of the midfielders regulation long range efforts that so often send the Royals fans into raptures. On this occasion he didn't score, but it wasn't without a nervy moment for Reyes who saw the ball squirm over his body before snatching at the second attempt.As the minutes ticked down in the opening period, Cambridge went close to the opening goal of the tie. A Liam Bennett cross from the right hand wing found the head of Dan Nlundulu in the box, his effort looked to be going goalwards but it was deflected nervously wide by Amadou Mbengue.Two minutes of additional time was played out with little incident, both teams going into the break without troubling the score keepers.Half-time: Reading 0-0 Cambridge UnitedJAS_0065.jpgThe two teams re-entered the fray for the second period, and with less than three minutes on the clock the Royals had the lead courtesy of Lewis Wing. The skipper was able to pounce on a losse ball that the U's couldn't clear, and sent a low shot goalwards that nestled into the bottom right hand corner of Reyes' goal - advantage Reading!The visitors looked for an immediate response, with Liam Bennett cutting inside from his right back position to send a left footed effort goalwards. For the first time in the game Joel Pereira was called into action, and was able deflect the ball away with strong hands to his right hand side.Ten minutes into the half former Cambridge player Harvey Knibbs was introduced to the fold, coming on in place of Charlie Savage. On the stroke of the hour mark, Rubén Sellés' side doubled their lead through Mamadi Camara. A strong and purposeful run from Ben Elliott saw our number four feed Camara, who sold the defender and fired into the top corner.It got better and better for the Royals just three minutes later, with Lewis Wing bagging his second goal of the evening. If his first strike was good, this one was extraordinary! The skipper was in position 30 yards out and hit a sublime right footed curling effort into the top right hand corner, classic Wingy!The following twenty minutes would see the Royals successfully pacify the game with a lead to hold onto, with the home faithful clearly enjoying their evening with a series of 'oles' whilst their team were in possession.With two minutes remaining goalscorer Camara and Campbell made way for Jayden Wareham and Emmanuel Osho, the youngster making his league debut.Five minutes were signalled, and they came and went much like the previous 30 had. A fantastic professional performance from the Royals to keep up the incredible home form so far this campaign. Next up, a trip to table topping Wycombe Wanderers this coming Saturday.Full-time: Reading 3-0 Cambridge UnitedNG130158.jpgReading: Pereira, Dorsett, Elliott, Craig, Savage (Knibbs 56'), Smith, Campbell (Osho 89'), Bindon, Mbengue (Dean 86'), Camara (Wareham 89'), Wing ©Subs: Button, Ahmed, SackeyGoals: Wing (49', 63'), Camara (60')Yellow: Camara (9'), Elliott (56')Cambridge United: Reyes, Bennett, Andrew, Morrison ©, Brophy (Watts 68'), Nlundulu (Loft 68'), Kachunga (Kaunda 83'), Smith, Ibsen-Rossi, Lavery (Njoku 62'), CousinsSubs: Stevens, O'Riordan, Jaunda, HolmesYellows: Cousins (54')Image Reading FC
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