Royally stuffed

Next game was at home again to Reading FC, nickname the Royals. This apparently is because Reading are located in the Royal County of Berkshire.  They were, I am reliably informed previously known as the Biscuitmen because of the biscuit makers Huntley and Palmers residence in the town. I have never heard anybody actually refer to Reading as the Royals except perhaps newspapermen looking for a pun.

Anyway, they were in the Premier League last season before being relegated. It was generally thought that they would bounce straight back up, having a talented squad and oodles of cash from the parachute payments made to relegated clubs. However, they have struggled a bit this season for some reason and were on a dismal run when they arrived at the CG.

The match was played on a Friday evening because this was one of the games on the fixture list which clashed with Notts County, also scheduled to play at home this weekend. Apparently, on police advice,  Notts re-scheduled one of their games earlier in the season, so we switched this time. I have to confess I was not quite with it when the game kicked off feeling something was not quite right coming to football on a Friday night.

We have dropped a considerable number of points recently. I think this is, partly, because we try to attack so vigorously using our full backs as wing backs that when our assault on the opposition goal breaks down, the defence is all up the field. As a result, speedy opposition players need only to bypass two or three players instead of the usual back four plus midfielders.

However, we did not accommodate Reading in this manner. We made it much easier for them. Our players were obviously as dozy as I was, because Reading went two up in 12 minutes. First, our ex-player Gareth McCleary dribbled to the goal line and squared across goal for the Russian Pog-something to prod into gaol, then a corner was headed in by Gorkss.

It took Forest some time to get going, but once they did, goals started coming. Just before half time, Mackie took advantage of a slip by a Reading defender to race away down the right wing, put over a low centre for Cox to rap the ball into the goal. Then on the hour mark, Henderson dribbled through the Reading defence and shot into the far corner of the net. Game on and, to me, there only seemed to be one winner.

Sadly, it was not to be. As we pummelled Reading searching for the winner, they broke down the right, a hopeful centre evaded everybody, attackers and defenders alike, and rolled out to a Reading player belatedly arriving at the far side of the penalty area. He fired at goal and, as Darlow spread himself to save, the ball hit him on the leg causing it to bounce high into the net, over our defenders on the line. Cue deflated players and fans.

Things were not quite over. Gunter, a former Forest favourite now playing for Reading, blatantly tripped Mackie as he headed for goal, was awarded a second yellow card and left for the early bath. However, there were only about ten minutes left to play; it was too late to affect the result. Reading put all ten men back and shut up shop.

A really disappointing result. Since the marvellous win at Brighton we have gone six games with only one further win, at Leicester, causing a slide down the table and fans becoming restless. Injuries have really hit the team, resulting in disruption to the back four and midfield. Plus the fact that our strikers just are not striking. The number of attempts on goal we have had should result in far more goals scored. Still, the football fans optimism is boundless, I shall keep going and hoping for success.