Orlando Sa’s hat-trick saw Reading to a 5-1 victory over Town at the Madejski Stadium, the Blues’ heaviest defeat for nearly three years. Sa put the home side ahead in the seventh minute, Freddie Sears equalised soon afterwards before the Portuguese frontman made it 2-1 at the break. In the second half Nick Blackman made it 3-1 and Sa completed his hat-trick before Oliver Norwood lashed in a late fifth.

Boss Mick McCarthy included Sears, David McGoldrick and Brett Pitman from the start with the former Colchester man wide on the right

Central defender Christophe Berra returned to the Town line-up having missed the 3-2 defeat to Brighton two weeks ago with a hamstring problem.

Daryl Murphy was on the bench after his calf injury, while there was no place in the 18 for new signing Tommy Oar. Jonny Parr was included in a matchday squad for the first time this season having suffered with a niggly thigh injury since pre-season.

The home side began the game strongly and in the seventh minute they went in front. Jonas Knudsen’s under-hit clearance only reached Vydra who found Blackman. The former Sheffield United man whipped over a cross and Sa got in front of Tommy Smith to flick a header home.

But four minutes later the Blues were back on terms. Pitman found Ryan Fraser inside the area and the Scotland U21 international twisted and turned before hitting a shot which Royals keeper Jonathan Bond palmed away but straight to the in-running Sears, who chested into the net.

However, parity would only last for another three minutes, Sa hitting a low 20-yard strike beyond Dean Gerken’s right hand and into the net after a counter-attack to reclaim the lead.

The Blues, wearing orange, started to see more of the ball as the game reached the 20-minute mark with McGoldrick increasingly influential, although the home side continued to look very dangerous when in the Town half.

Following a Town corner, left-back Knudsen smashed a low shot not too far wide from 25 yards.

Town went close again on 23 when Fraser threaded Sears in on the left of the area but having cut inside, the earlier goalscorer lashed over from close range when it seemed easier to hit the target.

Three minutes later Fraser shot over from distance, then on 32 skipper Luke Chambers was booked for tripping Stephen Quinn, although it looked like an inadvertent tangle of legs.

From the corner, Gerken turned the ball around the post but the linesman’s flag had been raised in any case, although no one had appeared to get a touch on the ball. On 36 Skuse was booked for a late challenge on Aaron Tshibola.

In the 38th minute, after a Pitman dummy on the edge of the area had just failed to come off, Reading again broke quickly but Berra stepped across to intercept Sa’s final pass to Vydra which would have seen the on-loan Watford man in on goal.

Moments later, Fraser became the third Town player to get his name in the book for a foul on Norwood.

The Blues could have got on terms in the 44th minute after McGoldrick headed Fraser’s left-sided corner wide when under the attention of Blackman.

The striker will feel he probably should have hit the target, while one or two Town players claimed that he had been pulled back by Blackman but referee Roger East wasn’t interested.

Neither side threatened again before the end of a thoroughly entertaining first half. After the three early goals the Blues saw a lot of the ball, passing it around slickly at times, with McGoldrick, Fraser and Sears all looking dangerous.

Town had had chances to get back on terms, while Reading always looked a threat on the break.

The Blues created the first opportunity of the second half in the 48th minute, McGoldrick chesting down a long ball to Pitman, who powerfully shot wide from inside the area when he clearly felt he should have done better.

But two minutes later it was 3-1 to the Royals. Blackman cut back from the left to Sa, but the ball hit the striker and fell to Skuse, who looked for Gerken to come and claim.

But the keeper didn’t react and the Blues midfielder was forced to clear and hooked straight back to Blackman, who took a touch before smashing an unstoppable shot past Gerken and into the roof of the net.

Vydra curled a shot well over, then on 61 Pitman came within a couple of inches of making it 3-2. Fraser clipped over a cross from the left and the striker’s looping header rebounded off the bar. McGoldrick subsequently required treatment after being caught by an arm as Reading cleared the loose ball.

Two minutes later, Reading made it four. Blackman beat Berra on the Royals right and cut the ball across to Sa, who completed his hat-trick from close range.

With the game almost certainly lost, Pitman and Fraser - perhaps with an eye towards Tuesday’s game at Leeds - were swapped for Daryl Murphy and Ainsley Maitland-Niles.

Reading switched Lucas Piazon for Vydra and Ola John for the very impressive Blackman - both subs making their debut - as the game moved into its final 15 minutes with no dramatic Town comeback looking likely.

On 81 Maitland-Niles miscued wide from a tight angle beyond the far post after Murphy had found him with a cross from the left of the area.

But a Reading fifth had looked more likely than a Town comeback and in the 87th minute Oliver Norwood unleashed a 35-yard rocket which flew into the top corner leaving Gerken standing.

It could have been even worse for the Blues with Tshibola curling a shot not too far wide and moments before the whistle Knudsen was cautioned for pulling back sub John.

At the break Town’s biggest defeat since the 6-0 November 2012 loss at Leicester hardly seemed on the cards but once another defensive error had allowed Blackman to score his goal - in addition to his three assists - to make it 3-1 there was never any way back for the Blues.

The fourth was more poor defending - Berra perhaps feeling the effects of his recent injury - while the fifth stunning strike was the icing on the cake for Reading fans who went home very happy having seen their side win their first game at the Madejski Stadium since March 10th and score their first home league goals since April 4th.

For Town, the number of poor goals being conceded is a continuing concern with the Blues now having kept only one clean sheet in 17.

The second successive defeat sees the Blues fall to fourth on goal difference with a further drop certain after tomorrow’s games,

Reading: Bond, Gunter, Obita, Ferdinand, McShane, Norwood, Quinn, Tshibola, Blackman (John 78), Sa (Robson-Kanu 82), Vydra (Piazon 77). Unused: Al-Habsi, Hector, McCleary, Williams.

Town: Gerken, Chambers (c), Knudsen, Berra, Smith, Skuse, Douglas, Fraser (Maitland-Niles 67), Sears, McGoldrick, Pitman (Murphy 67). Unused: Bialkowski, Malarczyk, Parr, Coke, Touré. Att: 16,809 (Town: 1,602).

Photo: Action Images

rkl added 22:19 - Sep 11 I was the first to comment when you announced the starting eleven. I wrote "Gerken is a liability". Sadly I was proved right. Shame MM didn't know better. Knudsen, Chambers and Douglas were all over the place too.
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RedDust added 22:20 - Sep 11 Digusting.. F***ing disgusting... Scared lost little boys! the game was lost the very moment MM chose Gerken in goal.. what an absolute wasteman. Team reverted to longball all game after 25min. Team didn't know how to take on and beat a man. Everyone was sh** and need a f***ing wake up call! zero urgency and zero ability! ITFC you can f*** off tonight!
1

mow_the_lawn added 22:20 - Sep 11 Too much bad defending to talk about but Dean Gerken needs to be dropped indefinitely. He's appalling at the moment. Admittedly some of the strikes he wasn't directly to blame for but he seems unable to open his mouth until he's conceded when he shouts at everyone afterwards. Time after time Reading broke away and he doesn't tell the defenders where the danger lies, he quietly watches the game, watches the strikers pull away from their men and doesn't say anything and the second they score he's full of wise instruction telling them what they should've done. He needs to be dropped now. He's had his chance after Bart was left out and conceded 7 goals in the last 2 games.

11

shaunkingitfc added 22:21 - Sep 11 Sh/t Sh/t Sh/t 12 players vs 11 I don't know what to say This is gotta be a dream
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BoredWithThisNow added 22:22 - Sep 11 If anyone knows what the point of Jonathan Douglas is please can they let me know.
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Hekkers added 22:23 - Sep 11 Please Mick. .. DO NOT START GERK In goal again. He was awful.. Bench is more than he deserves. Here we go again guys. Give someone a shat stat n put em against Ipswich lmao. But we actually played well lol
5

truckerblue added 22:24 - Sep 11 @ mow the lawn. 8 in two games. It's got to be his last game in goal for this club surely.
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Jimmy86 added 22:25 - Sep 11 Well that was definitely a poor day at the office. Defensively we were shocking, which is a real concern. We have always been well organised and hard to beat, but less than pleasing on the eye. Mick has tried to change our style of play, to make us more attractive and that shows going forward, but we are now defending really poorly. For me Bart should have started tonight and for the 3rd goal Gerken just proved what a poor, indecisive keeper he is. Skuse and Douglas looked too similar in the middle and Douglas doesn't appear to be totally match fit. For the 4th even Berra lost out against blackman too easily and was shrugged off the ball. Need to sort it out, as not too many positives to take out of that display tonight. Reading hadn't scored at home this season, which just about sums it up

9

KiwiTractor added 22:26 - Sep 11 Gerken had the gall to yell at the defender after the 3rd goal! The balance of the starting XI was not right, why play Sears wide? Didn't think Knudsen had a very good game and only Sears and McGoldrick showed any urgency on the ball - albeit with very little end product. Bart needs to start the next game and hopefully get either Bru or Bish to partner Skuse in the middle asap.

6

BarkingBlue added 22:27 - Sep 11 Terrable and utterly useless. Gerken in goal, lost the game from the start, we will never go places with him in goal.back four was exceptional weak, the worst I have ever seen, with most of their goals being avoidable. The players for me did not show too much desire to get back into the game, mcgoldrick was evidently trying but too many players were passengers. Need to improve urgently.

3

bluesince84 added 22:28 - Sep 11 well...... the trouble is you see...is that you could place a very safe £100 bet on who our central defenders will be next next game. Now obv Chambers and Smith cant be dropped, i mean come on, chances of that happening is absolute zero. Maybe Knudsun will be replaced by parr im sorry, a fist pump does not a good defender make. Lets not forget chambers is firstly a defender THEN a captain. even at 3-1, 18 mins until our first sub?????? This could though, on reflection, be out best result of the season and heres why. We were getting carried away, MM was getting lazy. Players thought they had one foot in the PL. We needed this result tonight more than we needed 3 points. Now things have to change...thoughts fellow tractor boys?????

7

DJpatrovers1 added 22:29 - Sep 11 Rarely ever comment on match reports, I usually read these comments but after watching tonights game it's pretty clear what is missing - DEFENCE 8 goals conceded in our last 180mins of football... Our attacking play was ok tonight - the missing component was the final pass & via Skuse & Douglas, I just don't see that happening from those 2. If we are going to be so attacking we need to make sure the defence is going to be as solid, if not better! We were left wide open on the counter and I'm sure we all agree we don't have the quickest back 4... Honey moon start to the season is over, & time to get back to reality and realise that we are going to have to graft the same as last season of not even more if we want to reach top 2...

6

rendoblue added 22:29 - Sep 11 Anybody who tries to cover that as something it wasn't needs to take a look at themselves. Total rubbish, a defensive shambles. Apart from Berra were not strong enough at the back and along with a woeful keeper we are lambs to the slaughter. Douglas, Brentfords best player last year has clearly left his legs in Brentford and we need Freddie back up top with Murph with MCG in there aswell. Mick has done a great job but any fan that watches every week could tell him weare so weak at the back. Yes we have strengthened going forward but as soon as we lose the ball its a mess. I'll pack my pen and paper for the Utd trip to keep score.

1

martleshamitfc added 22:29 - Sep 11 That was simply awful... we did look good going forward parts of 1st half, but once we gave away the 3rd goal that was it, heads down and no way of a come back. Gerken does seem to have an adverse effect on the defence but still cannot be totally blamed for such a poor defensive performance, even Berra was poor tonight. MM has a lot of work to do before Leeds away otherwise another result like tonight will be coming. Lets hope we can bounce back quickly!

5

cromwellblue added 22:29 - Sep 11 Where to start...... Very disappointing performance. Glad to hear MM not making excuses. Defensively another poor show but once again central mid-field must take a lot of criticism. They offer nothing going forward which would be OK if they provided a solid cover in front of the back four, which they failed to do. For a long time I have been unconvinced by Skuse, and now we have Douglas who has done nothing to impress at all. Reading like Brighton have shown if you attack at pace then we can be ripped apart. I wish we'd give that a go. Despite our new additions we still fail to have any forward drive as a unit. We have 4 very good options up front and even in tonight poor performance they showed their ability to create but this has to be supported by our central midfield. I fear all concerned have been patting themselves on the back for the good start and taken their eyes a long way from the ball. Urgently need to see a reaction to this.

5

Lightningboy added 22:30 - Sep 11 Weird game..should've been more like 5-5..decent going forward for the first hour but our defence looked like they'd been out on the piss all day..the only positive is that hopefully we'll never see Gerken in goal ever again - sorry to be harsh but the guy is a liability,a bag of cement could move quicker.
5

superblue70 added 22:30 - Sep 11 Well what can you say last season we didn't want to attack this season we don't want to defend wouldn't a bit of middle ground be nice ...... On and for gerkin well maybe a rest for a few years would help
3

TownOnTheUp added 22:32 - Sep 11 Travelled all the way to Reading for that. 5-1 says it all, just appalling in every department
1

sirmichealmills added 22:32 - Sep 11 Steve Clark couldn't have dreamed of a better performance from our back four, utter s@!t, Alarming how sluggish we looked, gerkin is CRAP, Douglas, skues, Knudsen SIGH
4

Samassi100Abou added 22:32 - Sep 11 Finally everyone hates Gerkan... I watch Colchester sometimes when town are away and he was always terrible there never gives a presence ! Other then the goals he never seems to give that confidence u need just looks like a semi pro keeper... Always a mistake in him ! We are carrying chambers due to that armband !! Take nothing away from reading that have spent big and are strong but 5-1

2

Norfolk_Blue94 added 22:32 - Sep 11 'Insanity is doing the same thing over and over again expecting different results.' I'm not sure Einstein had McCarthy in mind when he said that, but that's certainly supported by repeatedly putting disaster zone Gerken in goal and playing Chambers at right back when we have more capable players sitting on the bench. HOWEVER, we have not lost like this for a long time and hopefully won't lose like this again for some time. Maybe this will kick the lads back into gear with everything still to play for this season.

10

Kesblue66 added 22:36 - Sep 11 Where do we start to put this right.Gerken,Douglas,Chambers out even is a good captain.Shuse,Smith,krudsen in the balance.There must be alteratives,we're told we have a strong squad.
4

gino88 added 22:36 - Sep 11 What an absolute shocking performance tonight. We may well score 60+ goals this season but we are guaranteed to ship just as many due to our shambolic defence. A combination of Gerken, chambers, smith, Berra and Knudsen accompanied by the lacklustre skuse and Douglas just won't cut it against the best teams in this league. Luke chambers is rubbish, simple as that. He might be a brilliant motivator and team player but he is not a good football player. Jonas Knudsen looks distinctly average, and it is just so painful to watch Berra and smith on the ball. They make the word uncomfortable feel umcomfortable. The three left footers in the back four just doesn't work and it's been going on for months now!! Dean Gerken- oh dear! Sorry gerken fans but does he ever make a save? I'm pretty sure in all the games he has played this season, he has just picked a ball out of his net. He lacks authority, positional sense, command of the area and zero anticipation of what the opposition may do. I welcome anyone to disagree with me on this one!! We should have splashed out on a strong goalkeeper but again, micks devotion to 'good characters' got the better of him. Cole skuse and Jonathan Douglas aka dads army. They are basically the same player with the same faults and basically their composure on the ball is desperate. The sky commentator mentioned about the centre midfield failing to get themselves on the half turn when they receive the ball off the defence. If we get the ball over the half way line we can at least breathe easier, but a skuse-Douglas combo is not the way forward. I'm hoping bru and bishop are back asap. Our shining light is the fact we at least have goals in the team. Mcgoldrick was decent on the ball and Sears poached another goal. Fraser is stronghold going forward but does leave Knudsen exposed. We will have more than Murphy to rely on this year which is positive. Overall I'm just so angry at our inability to defend simple situations. Clearly terry Connor is doing a cracking job with the strikers but who the hell is coaching the defenders and as for the keeper, well I'm just fed up pointing out what a liability both of them are to the team. The sooner McCarthy notices it the better!

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MrDiddle added 22:37 - Sep 11 Missed out on the game tonight, just logged on to view the report - shocking and unexpected result. I'd imagine Mick will have torn the players a new one after this game!! Completely agree with Norfolk Blue, most likely a freak result - I won't be losing any sleep over it. Got complete faith in the team and the management, we'll be right up there come end of season. Up the town!!

3

Kirbmeister added 22:38 - Sep 11 Not sure I've ever seen Town line up 4-2-4 before like they have in the last two games - not sure I ever will again either
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