Write us off at your peril

Second season syndrome. Those three words have been mentioned in just about every pundits preview of the Royals in this years Premier League campaign. Well before Reading even stepped out into the Old Trafford sunshine, all talk was of the firepower and superstars of their opponents and just how many goals they'd rack up in ninety minutes. Justifed or not, there is something about this Reading team which constantly defies the odds at the games highest level.

True that United's £50million spending spree over the summer is one reason why they should once again occupy the top two positions in this league. But as Mr Ferguson knows only too well, tactics also win games. Steve Coppell did just that today and it paid off as the Royals stood firm as a defensive unit to hold and frustrate the Champions on their own turf.

The clouds cleared and the sun shone as both teams entered the Theatre of Dreams to a wall of noise. Reading's supporters occupying the corner looked resplendant in their blue and white hoops and certainly made themselves heard in the 75000-plus crowd. My ears however were getting tuned into the new Premier League anthem which greeted the now familiar line up and handshake between players. Having listened to it a few times now ahead of Wednesday's match with Chelsea, it's beginning to grow on me and the Old Trafford PA system does the track proud. For anyone wanting to know more, it's called My Saturday Self and composed by Peter Lawlor.

Back to the game and it was Reading who started the brighter and showed from the outset that they weren't there just to make up the numbers. Brynjar Gunnarsson's looping header from a Shorey free kick forced an early save from Van der Sar before the Royals won the first corner that possibly had the pundit scriptwriters reaching for the tippex.

However, it was United who began to dominate more and more. Coppell went with a 5-4-1 formation that had Murty, De la Cruz, Duberry, Ingimarsson and Shorey all working well to protect Hahnemann. When the United boys did find their shooting boots, it was the American shotstopper who defied them time and time again to the delight of the travelling fans.

The game looked to have taken a turn for the worse on 73 minutes when Dave Kitson, on for Kevin Doyle just a minute earlier, received a straight red after a challenge on Evra. So the Royals now faced the last 15 minutes with only ten men. The red mist descended as United threw everything at Reading only to see Hahnemann thwart them each time with crisp, clean saves and surely the man of the match award.

With four minutes of added time to the ninety, the frustration and tension became unbearable for many home fans as they made their exit from the stadium. Ronaldo skied a late free kick before ref Rob Styles brought an end to the match. The travelling Royals fans were jubilant. I was ecstatic, though slightly subdued being sat in the middle of a now half empty South Stand. More importantly, the players too appreciated what an achievement this was and a job well done. Second season syndrome? On this showing, not likely! See you Wednesday.