February 27 2011

Selhurst Park

It rained cats and dogs - and goals - when Reading were the visitors to Selhurst. Jamesey tells the tale.

Well, we may have been lacking drama at Selhurst recenly but our 3-3 draw with the Royals (Feb 26) had all the elements to excite the crowd.

The previous week we witnessed a dull game against fellow strugglers Sheffield United (Feb 19).

The game desperately lacked spectacle and many supporters were wondering why James Vaughan was playing a lone role up front surrounded by tall defenders and standing all the chances of a snowball in hell of doing anything constructive.

It rather reminded me of the days before Andy Johnson got into his stride of run-like-hell-and-fall-over-in-the box-if-a-defender-touches-you, when we endlessly pumped high balls to the poor little fellow.

Dougie Freedman was not an unintelligent footballer and I would like to have known what his rationale was for the lone, small striker formation at home games.

Anyhow, despite all that, the game was won with an exceptional goal from an exceptional footballer, Darren Ambrose, and despite any gripes, we notched up three marvellous points.

I would have sold my granny for that result but as the old girl has been buried for 52 years, I doubt there would be many takers.

The following Tuesday (Feb 22) we travelled to Fratton Park where Portsmouth awaited.

We used the same formation but, I suppose away from home at least you might get away with a 0-0 draw.

But with with our abysmal away form this season you would have had to be the ultimate star-gazing optimist to expect anything very much down there. Inevitably we lost the match 1-0.

And so for our second home game in a week we eagerly looked forward to the visit of Brian McDermott's Reading team.

I, for one, was delighted to see that Vaughan had been given a partner, Steffen Iversen, and the improvement was visible straight away. In fact you couldn't really get much straighter away than a goal from Darren Ambrose in the first minute.

Our flabbers were absolutely ghasted. We haven't seen that many goals at Selhurst recently and to get one so quickly was almost surreal. And this was followed by another one from Neil Danns, back to his energetic and passionate best, after less than half an hour.

Needless to say all this couldn't last and within a few minutes of our second, Reading were awarded a penalty which Shane Long adeptly stuck in.

In the second half we could have gone 3-1 up but a weak penalty from of all people, Darren Ambrose, was saved and that seemed to knock us back as wave after wave of Reading attacks saw them score two more to draw the game, despite a terrific goal from substitute Jermaine Easter in between.

It is desperately disappointing to draw after leading twice but Reading are a good side and as the second half progressed we gave them so much space to run into, we almost invited them to score.

The torrential rain through part of the game made conditions very difficult for good football and both sides contributed towards a first-class afternoon's entertainment.

Incidentally, now that we own our own ground again, would it be possible to fix the guttering in the middle of the Main Stand which routinely leaks in the rain and soaks anyone unfortunate enough to be underneath the cascade.

If Steve Parish or Martin Long contact me, I know a really good roofer in the Croydon area. Strictly cash and no receipts...

Email Jamesey with your comments to jevans3704@aol.com

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