CARROLL OPENER CANCELLED OUT

Reading 1

Birmingham 1

Joe Lumley

Couldn’t have done an awful lot with Jutkiewicz’s bullet header and was pretty solid all-round.

Andy Yiadom

Positive, with some nice forays down Reading’s left, particularly in the first half. Was largely able to contain the dangerous Chong.

Tom Holmes

Solid at the heart of the back four. Acquitted himself well against Blues’ front line.

Naby Sarr

Failed to track Jutkiewicz for City’s equaliser, but it was otherwise a relatively good performance from the centre-half.

Amadou Mbengue

Never fully got on top of the battle with Khadra on Reading’s right. Grew into the game in what was a typically dynamic outing.

Jeff Hendrick

A tidy showing from the midfielder, who worked well with Casadei to establish a degree of control in the centre of the park.

Tyrese Fornah

Deployed on the left of Reading’s midfield, giving his side robustness in midfield. A little slow to deliver crosses from wide positions.

By ANDY PRESTON apreston@wokingham.today

READING FC dropped into the relegation places after they could only manage a draw at home to Birmingham City on Good Friday.

The Royals got off to the perfect start when Andy Carroll rounded off a sweeping team move after seven minutes.

Played an incisive pass into Joao to set up Carroll’s opener. Controlled the ball well to ensure Reading retained possession.

Yakou Meite

Wasn’t at his best this afternoon, clearly hampered by injury. Industrious nonetheless. Replaced by Azeez.

Lucas Joao

Showed great awareness to assist the first goal. Worked hard in and out of possession and cannot be faulted for a lack of effort.

Andy Carroll

Took his goal well and won the vast majority of his aerial duels. Battled hard and contributed on both ends of the pitch.

Cesare Casadei Substitutes

Femi Azeez 6

Nesta Guinness-Walker: N/A

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6 7 6

7 6 6

The Blues replied just before the half hour mark when Lucas Jutkiewicz towered high and planted a header past Joe Lumley.

Paul Ince vowed to switch to a more attacking system with the team in desperate need of points after being deducted six by the EFL on Tuesday Lucas Joao, Yakou Meite and Andy Carroll all started in attack in a positive looking line-up.

6 5

With seven minutes on the clock, Reading got off to a flying start to inject some energy into the home crowd and ease the nerves around the ground.

Cesare Casadei shaped to shoot from distance, but instead played a disguised through ball into the path of Lucas Joao who flicked it back for Andy Carroll and he thumped the ball into the far corner after making a sweet connection with his left boot.

The Royals relinquished control which led to some chances for the away side.

Krystian Bielik was first to have a shot on goal for the visitors when he hit a low drive from just outside the area that was easily claimed by Joe Lumley.

Reading had to withstand some pressure as Amadou Mbengue did well to deal with a cross that was

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Match stats

READING: Lumley, Yiadom (c), Holmes, Sarr, Mbengue, Fornah, Hendrick, Casadei, Meite, Carroll, Joao

SUBS: Bouzanis, Dann, Guinness-Walker, Abrefa, Craig, Azeez, Ehibhatiomhan

BIRMINGHAM CITY: Ruddy (c), Colin, Roberts, Long, Trusty, Chang, Bielik. Khadra, Chong, Jutkiewicz, Hall

SUBS: Etheridge, Dean, James, Hannibal, Bacuna, Bellingham, Hogan

GOALS: Carroll 7’, Jutkiewicz 29’ off to such a good start and looked like we were going to get two or three and then went passive and started to sit back. whipped into a dangerous position by Tahith Chong.

The spell of pressure eventually told and the Blues were level when Lukas Jutkiewicz was afforded time and space in the box to rise highest to meet Reda Khadra’s cross and showed his aerial prowess by powering a header past Lumley.

The hosts almost came up with a quick response when Joao tried to latch onto a ball into the box, but it just ran out of his reach and went on through to goalkeeper

John Ruddy.

Tyrese Fornah continued to show persistence and energy down the left to fire in crosses towards his forwards and one of which ended with an appeal for a penalty when Jeff Hendrick’s tame shot hit a Birmingham body, but the referee waved away the appeals.

The team went in level at the break with it all to play for in the next 45 minutes.

Reading caused chaos in the box with a couple of long throws from