Reading 1-0 Northampton Town: Player Ratings
Sim was most impressed by Reading’s ‘keeper and centre-backs in a vital, narrow win on Good Friday.
Joel Pereira: 8
Bad goalkeeping performances cost you points and good ones earn you points. This, from Pereira, was most certainly the latter. He’s had to be awfully patient this season, waiting for his chance in the league side, but he’s looked promising in recent weeks and reached a high point today.
Pereira pulled off some good, vital saves, with the highlight being an excellent stop low to his right in the first half when he had to be at his most agile to parry a shot destined for the bottom corner. He also stood tall later in the half to deny a Cobblers forward who was set through one on one.
Otherwise he was generally commanding and composed in his area, bar one scary moment in the second half when he miss-kicked a routine clearance. Reading fortunately managed to clear the danger and spare his blushes.
Clinton Mola: 6
A pretty solid afternoon overall from Mola who predominantly played at right-back but then shifted over to left-back when Jeriel Dorsett came off. Not all that productive going forward, although he did play one nice pass to find Sam Smith in behind in the first half. He’ll likely come out of the side for Andy Yiadom on Easter Monday when the skipper returns from suspension.
Amadou Mbengue: 8
Go back not all that long and the idea of Reading facing a relegation battle without Tom Holmes or Nelson Abbey at centre half was a daunting one. Mbengue has stepped up to the plate excellently though, and today was a great example of that.
He was really solid at the back, throwing himself in the way of a couple of goal-bound Northampton efforts to avoid Pereira being called into action. Mbengue also made an excellent sliding challenge in the second half which stood out to me, quelling the danger from a Town forward who’d otherwise have been in behind.
Tyler Bindon: 8
Similarly impressive to his fellow centre back. This is a composed, confident defensive pairing that knows how to grind out clean sheets. Bindon also added a touch of real class in possession in the second half with one terrific drive upfield with the ball, all the way to the halfway line or so.
Jeriel Dorsett: 6
A steady shift from Dorsett at left-back. To be honest I can’t remember him needing to do anything particularly eye-catching, which is always a good sign for a defender. Withdrawn for Kelvin Abrefa in the second half.
Lewis Wing: 5
Not a bad afternoon really, just nowhere near as influential and dangerous as we’re used to seeing Wing be. Showed the odd moment of quality going forwards, including a long-range second-half shot that earned a corner, but not much otherwise.
Charlie Savage: 7
Better, livelier and more involved than his central-midfield partner. Savage also had a few chances of his own: a free-kick, a long shot (both of which went over) and a closer-range on the follow-up from a Smith opportunity when he blasted his volley into the ground and over, and probably should have done better.
Femi Azeez: 5
Azeez started off well today, winning an early free-kick with a terrific burst down the right and getting the defender he was going up against booked, but then faded. That wasn’t really for a lack of openings - he found space on right flank various times before the break - but he didn’t do enough with them.
He had a couple of chances in the second half, forcing a good save at the near post with his right foot (his weak-foot finishing seems to be improving) and then hitting the top of the bar with a looping header from a corner. Still, this was an underwhelming afternoon for Azeez.
Harvey Knibbs: 5
When Knibbs is really involved in a game he’s vitally important, whether in terms of winning the ball back repeatedly or popping up with a goal or two. In other matches however - for example today - he struggles to get involved and really influence the game. This was a quiet, ineffectual afternoon all round from Knibbs.
Ben Elliott: 4
I’m trying not to be too harsh on someone who’s very much still learning (he really needs the minutes so I’m glad he started today, for his sake) and is being played in a not-ideal wing role, but this was a poor afternoon for Elliott.
He wasn’t sharp enough with the ball, didn’t make enough of an impact on the game, and handed the visitors a golden one-on-one chance when giving the ball away cheaply. Also dragged a left-footed shot wide of the far post when he probably should have tested the keeper at least.
Withdrawn for Kelvin Ehibhatiomhan who, in stark contrast to Elliott, added the match-winning touch.
Sam Smith: 5
More involved in the first half than the second, getting in behind more before the break, but overall he still didn’t really have enough of an impact on the game. Went fairly close in the first half with a header that was blocked near the line.
Subs
Kelvin Ehibhatiomhan: 7
Ehibhatiomhan picked up where he left off before the international break: another fantastic strike after coming off the bench. This time it was from the left, with his right foot: a beautiful curling effort to find the far side of the goal. Even outside that strike he looked confident going forwards, demonstrating a positivity that Reading generally lacked today.
Kelvin Abrefa: 6
Similarly solid to the other full-backs in the quarter of an hour (of normal time) he got on the pitch. Earned one of the biggest home cheers of the afternoon when he timed a sliding challenge to perfection, winning and clearing the ball, when mistiming that tackle would have presented an open right flank to the visitors.
Paul Mukairu: N/A
Replaced Azeez as fresh legs late on so didn’t have enough time to make an impact and get a grade.
Average: 6.15/10
Who was your MOTM against Northampton Town? Vote below or through this link.