Reading v Brighton 10.12.05

Next visitors to the Madejski Stadium were Mark McGhee's struggling Brighton & Hove Albion. McGhee, a former Reading player and Manager of the Royals, was hoping for some away points, but with only two wins and eight draws from 22 games so far this season, his Brighton side were always going to find this a difficult game.

Brighton gifted a goal to Reading on 26 minutes, as visiting captain Charlie Oatway could only steer Glen Little's cross into his own net. Things went from bad to worse for Brighton when early in the second half Gary Elphick pulled back Dave Kitson inside the box, only to recieve a second yellow card and was sent off. Kitson scored the resulting penalty, his 25th in the Championship, giving Reading a 2-0 lead.

On 71 minutes Dave Kitson added a second goal to his tally, nodding home Nicky Shore's deflected shot at the far post. Four minutes later Stephen Hunt scored his first goal for the club to make it 4-0 to the Royals.

Brighton did manage to pull one goal back, when on 84 minutes Colin Kazim-Richards struck a powerful 25 yard drive that beat Marcus Hahnemann. Dave Kitson, however, rounded off the game with his third goal, and the only hat-trick of the league campaign, to make the final score Reading 5-1 Brighton.

Team huddle against Brighton & Hove Albion

Young Royals fan shows her support for the team

Chalie Oatwat slices an attempted clearance

and pass his own keeper to score an own goal

Bobby Convey

Elphick is booked for the second time

Dave Kitson takes the resulting penalty



An unhappy Mark McGhee

John Oster steers the ball between two defenders

Stephen Hunt is mobbed after scoring his first goal for the club

Steve Sidwell controls the ball

Graeme Murty on the ball

Dave Kitson is keeping that ball for scoring a hat-trick

Reading v Luton Town 03.12.05

Any doubts about the effect of losing to Arsenal were soon squashed, as Reading beat Luton Town 3-0 in their next Cahmpionship game at the Madejski Stadium.

Steve Sidwell opened the scoring just before the half time braek, with a deflected drive from distance to beat Marlon Beresford in the Luton goal.

Dave Kitson added a second goal on 76 minutes, beating Beresford to the ball and heading into an open net. Kevin Doyle sealed the points for Reading heading home a Glen Little cross on 88 minutes.

This home win kept Reading in first place 4 points ahead of Sheffield Utd.

Young Royals Fans eagerly await the start of the game

Heads or Tails

Team huddle before the KO against Luton Town

Bobby Convey ghosts pass a Luton player

Steve Sidwell's drive to make it 1-0

Two Royals fans show there support

Dave Kitson out jumps the keeper to make it 2-0

Kevin Doyle's 88th minute headed goal

Kevin Doyle celebrates, Hunty is along for the ride

Graeme Murty applauds the fans at the final whistle

Fans celebrate anothe three points

Reading v Hull City 19.11.05

The Royals met the Tigers at the Madejski stadium for the second time in just over a month. The Royals scored an impressive 3-1 win, although the result for much of the game looked in the balance.
Bobby Convey opened the scoring after just 7 minutes, having been put through by a Kevin Doyle pass. Hull City had several good chances in the first half, but Reading's one goal lead still held at half time.

10 minutes into the second half former England striker Nick Barmby made no mistake with his head to level the score. Any chance of a more sustained challenge from Hull was stopped on 69 and 70 minutes, with two goals in two minutes. Kevin Doyle managed to strike a high volley in off the underside of the crossbar, followed a minute later by Glen Little's goal steer a pass from Bobby Convey pass Boaz Myhill.

Graeme Murty greets Nicky Barmby to toss the coin

Bobby Convey strikes for goal



Nicky Barmby out jumps Kevin Doyle

Leroy Lita jumps to control the ball

Leroy Lita tries for another spectacular overhead

Nicky Shorey challenges for the ball



Kevin Doyle beats the Hull defender to the ball

And sends his volley goalward to score off the underside of the crossbar

Reading v Leeds Utd 29.10.05

Despite being the better side for most of this game, the Royals had to settle for a draw and a single point from this top five clash at the Madejski Stadium. The first half finished 0-0, but 3 minutes into the second half Brynjar Gunnarsson opened the scoring, driving a low shot inside Neil Sullivan's right upright. Second half substitute David Healy scored a deflected goal off the legs of Ivar Ingimarsson in the 75 minute to earn a draw for Leeds.

This result set a new Reading club record of 18 consecutive matches without defeat.

The thirteenth man show their support

Bobby Convey strikes a free kick goalwards

Bobby Convey takes on a Leeds player

Ivar Ingimarsson cross for the waiting Kevin Doyle



Brynjar Gunnarsson heads for goal

Reading players mob Brynjar Gunnarsson after scoring on 63 minutes

Reading v Sheffield Utd 01.10.05

After eleven games of the season, Reading were in second spot six points behind the leaders Sheffield Utd, the next team to visit the Madejski Stadium. In this highly competitive top of the table clash, Reading came away victorious with a 2-1 win, thanks to two goals from Brynjar Gunnarsson. The first only after three minutes from a Glen Little corner, and his second an 88^th minute headed goal.

Brynjar Gunnarsson heads a free kick goalwards from distance 

Paddy Kenny dives desparately to stop the ball...

.......but watches helplessly as the ball goes into the net

The Reading fans applaud and cheer the goal

Gunnarsson is joined by Glen Little & Bobby Convey to celebrate

The Reading players mob Gunnarsson while the Sheffield players are clearly upset

One of many thousands of images I captured during the 2005/6 season, the last one above would go into my top ten. Such a contarst between in the background the joy of scoring and celebrating what was to be such an important goal, and in the foreground the disappointment and annoyance of conceding so late in the game, great stuff.