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Blakey is back at the Turf
It was a good performance from the Clarets and we prevented them from creating too much and almost won it for ourselves in the closing minutes but had to settle for a 0-0 draw. Much was said by the cheating Dave Kitson after the game about the way we played but manager Steve Coppell had it right when he said it was their job to try and break us down.
The result knocked them off the top and they haven’t been back since. They had a couple more weeks in second place but since then have been in the play off positions.
Reading are a financially sound club on the back of chairman John Madejski who in return gets to put his name on everything within striking distance of the self named stadium. It means, despite them not having the biggest crowds in the league they are not in a position where they have to sell players.
Since our last meeting they have lost skipper Adie Williams who chose to move to Coventry rather than accept a new contract and more recently Coppell was able to increase his attacking options by signing Burnley target Les Ferdinand until the end of the season.
Reading beat Watford 3-0 on Boxing Day but have failed to win or even score a goal since in three league outings and were somewhat fortunate to earn themselves a replay in the FA Cup after a late equaliser from Ivar Ingimarsson at home to Swansea.
Reading have received a late blow with the news that Ferdinand will not be able to make his league debut. He has been ruled out with a hamstring injury that he picked up in the cup tie against Swansea.
He will almost certainly be replaced by former Brentford and Sheffield Wednesday striker Lloyd Owusu who will partner another ex-Brentford forward Nicky Forster. Graeme Murty missed the cup tie with an ankle injury last week but he is set to return.
Reading are likely to line up: Marcus Hahnemann, Graeme Murty, Ibrahima Sonko, Ivar Ingimarsson, Nicky Shorey, Glen Little, Steve Sidwell, James Harper, Andy Hughes, Nicky Forster, Lloyd Owusu. Subs: Jamie Young, Paul Brooker, Rob Newman, Bobby Convey, Dean Morgan.
With the Liverpool cup tie off it means Micah Hyde will serve his one match suspension in this game instead and that will force Steve Cotterill into at least one change from the side that won at Stoke almost a fortnight ago. Almost certainly that will mean a recall for Richard Chaplow who hasn’t started a game since the Carling Cup win against Villa back in October.
With Michael Duff looking doubtful after being forced off in that game it will be a choice between Lee Roche and the fit again Jean-Louis Valois for the vacant position on the right hand side of the midfield. With Valois not having had any match action since Sunderland, Roche is the more likely to start.
It looks as though we are going to have a goalkeeper on the bench too, for the first time since that heavy defeat at QPR when Danny Coyne was stretchered off. Coyne is fit again and should be on the bench.
There has been some doubt surrounding Frank Sinclair but he is expected to play, if not Roche will drop to full back with Valois then starting.
We will probably line up: Brian Jensen, Frank Sinclair, Gary Cahill, John McGreal, Mo Camara, Lee Roche, Richard Chaplow, Tony Grant, James O’Connor, Graham Branch, Ian Moore. Subs: Danny Coyne, Paul Scott, Amadou Sanokho, Joel Pilkington, Matt O’Neill.
The last time the two sides met was in November 2003 when the Clarets run out 3-0 winners, our last three wins against Reading have all been with a 3-0 scoreline.
It was played in front of the first four figure attendance at the Turf for almost four years despite reduced prices and gave the Clarets a much needed win which was our first for nine games.
We led 3-0 early in the second half but had really been second best on the night although Reading looked woeful in front of goal. Robbie Blake scored an early goal, Richard Chaplow who was the star on the night added a second right after half time and on 54 minutes a Blake free kick was deflected in by Luke Chadwick for his last Burnley goal.
That was it and there was no way back for the Royals, we even had the treat of Hahnemann having to make a top save from a Glen Little header.
Burnley: Brian Jensen, Dean West, David May, Arthur Gnohere, Mo Camara, Glen Little, Richard Chaplow (Paul Weller 84), Tony Grant, Graham Branch (Luke Chadwick 36, Delroy Facey 87), Robbie Blake, Ian Moore. Subs not used: Lee Roche, Mark McGregor.
Reading: Marcus Hahnemann, Graeme Murty, Ricky Newman, Ivar Ingimarsson, Nicky Shorey, Scott Murray (Bas Savage 59), Steve Sidwell, James Harper (Kevin Watson 58), John Salako (Nathan Tyson 59), Andy Hughes, Nicky Forster. Subs not used: Jon Mackie, Jamie Young.
Previous 20 Seasons | |||||
Season | Div | Ven | Result | Att | Scorers |
1984/85 | 3 | a | 1-5 | 4,024 | Biggins |
| . | . | h | 0-2 | 3,955 | . |
1992/93 | 2 | h | 1-1 | 8,382 | Harper |
| . | . | a | 0-1 | 6,398 | . |
1993/94 | 2 | a | 1-2 | 5,855 | Eyres(pen) |
| . | . | h | 0-1 | 11,650 | . |
1994/95 | 1 | a | 0-0 | 8,150 | . |
| . | . | h | 1-2 | 9,841 | Parkinson |
1998/99 | 2 | a | 1-1 | 10,080 | Payton |
| . | . | h | 1-1 | 9,366 | Reid |
1999/2000 | 2 | a | 0-0 | 6,149 | . |
| . | . | h | 3-0 | 14,436 | Davis Payton Wright |
2002/03 | 1 | a | 0-3 | 12,009 | . |
| . | . | h | 2-5 | 14,420 | I Moore West |
2003/04 | 1 | h | 3-0 | 9,473 | Blake Chaplow Chadwick |
| . | . | a | 2-2 | 10,543 | I Moore May |
2004/05 | C | a | 0-0 | 15,400 | . |
Click HERE
to see more results against Reading from the first meeting which was an 8-1 win at the Turf back in 1930.