Reading 1-2 Wycombe Wanderers: Two Halves And One Mistake

Sam Smith levelled the game after Nigel Lonwijk’s first-half opener, but a late Beryly Lubala penalty sent Wycombe home with the points.

Let's get the obvious footballing cliché out of the way: this match was the absolute epitome of the 'game of two halves'. Well, except for one crucial mistake right at the end at least, one which proved decisive.

Reading were very poor in the first half but then very good in the second. You couldn't ask for much of a starker difference either side of the break in the level of overall fluidity and mentality on the pitch, or mood in the stands. As much as it was frustrating to see the Royals so bad for one period, it was really encouraging to see a strong response in the other.

It should have yielded a result. Reading were due at least a point based on the overall balance of the game, and would have got it, were it not for Clinton Mola diving in recklessly and giving away a penalty a couple of minutes before full-time. If that hadn’t happened, we’d now be having a more positive (but still very frustrated) post-match discussion.

I’d go further though: Reading were good enough on the whole to win this game and weren’t far from doing so. Yes, the first half was well below par, but the dominance after the break was substantial enough to warrant all three points. Reading were better in the second half than Wycombe were in the first. The Royals created enough pressure and chances to secure the points, but just didn’t have the ruthlessness in the final third to back that up.

And that, for me, was the most critical failing today. You can have a bad half when the tactics are off (more on that later), but when you are on top, you really need to make that advantage count. A lot of the post-match discussion has understandably focused on the first 45 minutes, but Reading had more than enough time to rectify a one-goal deficit, and on another day we’re talking about a 2-1 comeback win, not a 2-1 defeat.

Ruben Selles named the same side which beat Carlisle United a week earlier, meaning Reading once more were set up in a 4-2-3-1:

Button; Yiadom, Mbengue, Bindon, Mola; Wing, Craig; Azeez, Knibbs, Ehibhatiomhan; Smith

Subs: Pereira, Abrefa, Dean, Savage, Elliott, Mukairu, Wareham

That was the wrong call. Selles has gone back and forth between Charlie Savage and Michael Craig as the starting central midfielder alongside Lewis Wing in recent weeks, but the overall strategy should be this: Savage in the games when Reading need to play on the front foot, Craig in the trickier ones.

This match was the former. There was some logic to picking Craig - it effectively worked last weekend and it can free up Wing to push forward, at least in theory - but Savage should have started today. Reading needed the technical ability and control which the Welshman brings in possession.

Those were badly lacking in a horrid first 45. Bar a couple of tame shots on target well into the half, Reading simply didn’t get going. They were restricted really effectively by Wycombe, who adopted the same 4-1-4-1 used by Shrewsbury Town a couple of weeks ago and pressed pretty high. The Royals had almost nothing in response, unable to build attacks on the deck, all too often sloppy with the ball, all too often resorting to long balls which went nowhere.

Wycombe found it fairly easy to control that half, bar a slight period of Reading resurgence half an hour in, and carried a threat themselves in the final third. That came to fruition in the 16th minute when the ball was floated to the back post, nodded down and then smashed home with an overhead kick by Nigel Lonwijk. It was an outstanding bit of technique and eerily reminiscent of some of Salop’s confident finishing last time out at the SCL.

Wanderers could have had more. On one occasion Andy Yiadom gifted the visitors a chance - saved by David Button - with a wayward throw, and on another Garath McCleary rolled back the years by bursting down the right and setting up Kieran Sadlier with a low cross, which was luckily blasted off target.

The best thing about that first half is that it wasn’t worse. Well, that and the fact that it preceded a second half when Reading could try to put things right.

Selles set about trying to do that with a half-time double change. Predictably - and wisely - Savage came on for Craig, and the substitute was key to Reading’s resurgence after the break. Ben Elliott was also introduced for Kelvin Ehibhatiomhan, and although he wasn’t bad, often drifting around to find space and look the ball, he wasn’t an effective attacking outlet. Reading should have taken Ehibhatiomhan off, but for Paul Mukairu in a more like-for-like swap on the left wing.

Still, it didn’t take long after the restart for Reading’s improvement to become clear. In fact the tone was set for the second period by a bold Mola run, charging upfield and infield from left-back to put the Royals on the front foot, win a free-kick and energise the home fans.

Soon after, Reading almost had an equaliser. Savage curled a cross in from the right, Tyler Bindon rose highest to meet it, but his header struck the post. Reading dominated proceedings from there on in, often camped in the half of a Wycombe side who had a few openings on the counter - predictably through McCleary - but otherwise struggled to get up the pitch.

As for chances, Wing had a shot deflected for a corner and Sam Smith was denied by the ‘keeper at the near post after sneaking in behind, but Reading had to wait until the 74th minute for an equaliser. Savage fed the ball out to Femi Azeez - uncharacteristically on the left wing this time - and his first-time cross was powered home by Smith’s head.

Reading were energised by that goal, but couldn’t immediately build on it and seemed to fade. Still, the closing stages were still about the Royals’ search for a winner, which could well have been found.

Instead a winner came down the other end of the pitch. A long pass was controlled by Sam Vokes too easily, the ball was played out to Chem Campbell on the right wing, and Mola dived in rashly. Penalty. Beryly Lubala duly stepped up and converted. Reading had nine minutes (two of normal time, seven added) in which to respond, but - shellshocked by the goal - barely threatened.

While on paper this defeat hasn’t caused any damage - Reading are still five points clear of the bottom four thanks to Cheltenham Town also losing - it’s another missed opportunity to pull clear. The Royals could have been 11 ahead of the Robins with victory today and against Salop - even a couple of draws would have been really handy - but instead are left to hover uncomfortably close to the relegation zone.

Next up is a trip to Derby County - in theory very difficult, but knowing this side they’ll follow up today’s defeat with an unexpected win. And next Saturday’s it’s another home game against a side near us in the table, in this case Cambridge United.