A crazy crazy crazy game

Reading’s 7-4 defeat at the hands of Portsmouth at Fratton Park created Premier League history. Eleven goals in one game are the highest aggregate total in the history of the Premier League. However, the part played in this extraordinary match by Reading will bring mixed feelings to their supporters.

Portsmouth, whom Reading has not defeated in the last ten years, held a fortress like aura at their home of Fratton Park. Manchester United and Liverpool gained low scoring draw at Fratton Park. It’s true that not many sides will come away from Portsmouth having scored four goals. Even fewer will get that total and be on the losing side.

Portsmouth grabbed an early lead after seven minutes when Benjani Mwaruwari nipped in to give Portsmouth the lead with an easy tap in. Benjani grabbed a second after a swivelling run that ended with a low shot that beat Marcus Hahnemann. Hahnemann made decent saves in the first half from Papa Bouba Diop and Sean Davis to prevent Portsmouth getting a third before half time. His best stop was a superb tip over from a Glen Johnson header. Stephen Hunt pulled one back for Reading on the stroke of half time with a header that beat David James, after the goal keeper had blocked a Dave Kitson shot and Reading had hit the woodwork in the same attack. With the half time score standing at 2-1, neither side could have foreseen the goal avalanche that was awaiting them in the second half.

Reading returned to the pitch after the half time break with renewed purpose and Steve Coppell’s half time talk ringing in their ears. Dave Kitson seemed the most inspired and got Reading level just three after the break following a run from goal by David James that left Kitson with an open goal. Kitson shot from twenty was not easy but it was well taken. Reading’s tail was up; however, Pompey would prove to be equally lethal in attack.

With Reading pressurising the Pompey goal, a break way attack by the home side allowed Herman Hreidarsson the chance to head in a Sylvain Distin cross for 3-2. Reading though continued to attack. A clear handball by Papa Bouba Diop led to Mark Halsey pointing to the penalty stop immediately. The Reading players displayed a mixture of delight and apprehension. Kevin Doyle missed spot kick against West Ham at the beginning of the month was still fresh in the minds of the Reading players. Glen Johnson protests to the referee over the penalty did nothing to ease the anxious Reading men. Nicky Shorey was clearly affected by this delay, because James saved his spot kick.

From the moment the spot kick was saved a kind of defensive suicide descended on Fratton Park. The game was about to go totally hay wire. Portsmouth scented blood, with Mwaruwari completing his hat trick twenty minutes from the end rounding Hahnemann and slotting into an empty net. Pompey’s fifth goal came five minutes later when; Niko Kranjcar whacked Sean Davis’ cross home. Reading got their third in the 79th minute. Shane Long deflecting James Harper’s shot past James.

Every one in the ground was losing track of the goals. The poor scoreboard operator had to change the font of his text to have enough room for all the goal-scorer’s names. At this stage of the proceedings the score was 5-3, but there were more goals to come. Portsmouth got the next, Davis’ shot beating Hanhemann in the 81st minute for 6-3, thanks to a massive deflection from Ivar Ingimarsson. Portsmouth seventh goal came from the penalty spot, Muntari the scorer. Reading got the eleventh and final goal of the game as Nicky Shorey’s deflected shot in injury time zipped past James.

It’s hard to be positive from the Reading perspective after a game like that, but it could have been worse. Reading may feel humiliated but eight or nine goals would have been worse, but so too would 7-0. To score four goals when you have let in seven and away from home is nothing short of incredible. For those who feel that relegation is now on the cards, I would offer up the old adage of early days. Steve Coppell is too shrewd and too long in the tooth to not take positives from this performance. He will use it as a springboard to the rest of the season. It feels hard to try and accept this now, but every cloud has a silver lining.

By Stuart Croucher.

P.S. Gary Lineker gleefully informed a laughing nation that the 7-4 scoreline was a record aggregate for Match of the Day.