Bolton Wanderers Fans Verdict: Royals Hit For Five
How the Loyal Royals reacted to thumping in Lancashire.
We can’t really complain about the result of Monday’s game - Bolton are a much better team than us, and showed it. However, we can complain about the manner in which we lost.
In their own way, you could argue that all five of Bolton’s goals were avoidable from a Reading point of view. When you play a team as good as the Trotters, you can’t make the amount of mistakes, and gift them as many goal scoring chances, as we did. You’ll get punished.
Here’s how the fans reacted to the the game...
Lewis Wing
I’m going to try and not be all doom and gloom, because it was a pretty torrid afternoon all in all. But one thing we did get treated to was another Lewis Wing special.
Look, it took a hefty deflection I know. But to I and the other 1,298 Loyal Royals in attendance, it looked like an absolute stunner. I genuinely can’t remember the last time I was part of a crowd that saw a goal that was so good it celebrated out of pure awe and astonishment rather than joy.
It was another reminder, if the fans needed it, of just how good this guy is...
just woke up after dreaming that Lewis Wing left Reading#readingfc pic.twitter.com/SuiPbOGCkg
— Connor | RFC (@connorr333) April 1, 2024
Ping
— Anthony Kendrick (@AJKendrick) April 1, 2024
Ding
Wing
#readingfc pic.twitter.com/DxJwdnYLyJ
Lewis Wing only scores screamers.
— Guilty, I support Reading. (@Reading106) April 1, 2024
What a hit son. What. A. Hit. #Readingfc https://t.co/nitWaKkzq3
Don’t worry, we’ve got Lewis Wing! #ReadingFC
— Dave WindowWorx (@david_winks1987) April 1, 2024
Wow what a goal by Lewis Wing!!!!
— Reading FC (@bluewhitewall) April 1, 2024
#ReadingFC
WHAT A GOAL.
— Greg Double (@Dubstep1988) April 1, 2024
Wing the ping strikes again and that’s why you’ve got to put teams away.
Absolutely no right to be in this, but we are. Let’s go. #readingfc #bwfc
Too many mistakes
Amadou Mbengue’s foul, Kelvin Ehibhatiohan’s misplaced pass, countless missed clearances for their fourth, and giving Jon Dadi Bodvarsson the room of Lancashire for their fifth. And those are only the mistakes that got punished.
Tyler Bindon also got away with a big error in the first half (which he atoned for in his defence), and Joel Pereira looked iffy with his feet all day. Make loads of mistakes against teams like Bolton, and you’ll concede loads of goals.
Here’s how the fans reacted...
#Readingfc You've got to accept that the defending was relegation standard
— drawn2water73 (@drawn2water73) April 1, 2024
First time since I came back (Jan 4th) that I saw us outclassed today. Horrific errors by Kelvin for their 1st and 3rd and Mbengue for their 2nd and you can win against good sides if you do that. Top day out nevertheless, up the ding #ReadingFC pic.twitter.com/8YGOetO0oU
— Erik O #SellBeforeWeDai (@Orrgarde) April 1, 2024
Shocking defending for that one #readingfc
— Ross Giacobbe (@rosariogiacobbe) April 1, 2024
Pereira is a mass panicker. He was at Derby too and it makes our set piece defending even worse. #ReadingFC https://t.co/9xUEAHjest
— ReadingBetweenTheLines (@ReadingBTL) April 1, 2024
Azeez,Smith,Knibbs,Kelvin & Binden all need to sharpen up
— Al (@dadros70) April 1, 2024
Mbengue was having a great game, but sadly he has a crazy, needless challenge just waiting to be unleashed every game.
Not out of it yet, but will be tough, as again we seem keen on assisting the opposition#readingfc
Awful by Kelvin. Twice he's given the ball away in bad areas, and it's led to goals. He needs to improve massively on his ball protection/retention #readingfc
— Lalo Escőbar (@razor5edge) April 1, 2024
Mbengue doesn’t even need to dive in like that stupid man ffs #readingfc
— Josh (@JRfc1871) April 1, 2024
Looking ahead to Lincoln
A lot of fans saw Monday’s game as a bit of a free hit, and were keen to look ahead to the next game. It’s only when you look at the next game that you realise it doesn’t get any easier, and perhaps we should be trying to get points from every game.
Lincoln City are the most in-form team in the league at the moment, so it will be as tough asa fixture as any you can have.
However, after a poor Monday afternoon, the fans wanted to move on and look ahead...
Lincoln at home next week is going to be another tough one. Need a point and then have to go and win at Bristol Rovers… 4 points have to be the aim.. minimum. #readingfc
— Jamie Hodder (@Jamie_Hodder21) April 1, 2024
A case of a tough day but have to move on quickly and be ready to try to get a result at home against an in-form Lincoln. Ultimately no ground lost and a game closer to safety. Recover and one final push to get this great escape done. Keep the faith, Up the Ding! #readingfc
— Tom Maynard (@ttmaynard) April 1, 2024
Had this down as a defeat so not too bothered.
— Neil Palmer (@neilpalmerphoto) April 1, 2024
Luckily other results went for us today so still a 6 point cushion.
Quite worrying how tired we looked. Need a fitness coach.
Time to concentrate on Lincoln now.#readingfc
Bolton one of best sides we’ve played this season. At times we gave it a go and could’ve still scored a 3rd. Some sloppiness. For me result looks far worse than it was but about Sat now and Lincoln we’ll be very tough. Oh and to see Savage involved with away end #readingfc
— Rich1871 (@richiec87) April 2, 2024
Nothing wrong in theory with today's result, given the opposition, if it's just a blip. Only trouble is, Lincoln are next up, and they're currently on the run of all runs. Since their last defeat on NYD: 10 wins, 5 draws. Only 5 conceded... #readingfc
— Nat High (@nat_high) April 1, 2024
Conclusion
A tough afternoon, but one we need to try and brush off. I honestly think that at home we can go toe to toe with any in this league, so I’m confident of a result against Lincoln, despite how much their recent form is ominous.
Simply put, it’s five huge games coming up. A win next week will really, really ease the pressure. But it'll be a tough ask.