Bolton take the points

Reading’s 2-0 home defeat at the hands of Bolton Wanderers puts them just one place above the drop zone. Goals from Kevin Nolan and Heider Helguson gave Bolton their first away win since April of last year. Reading had kept possession for long stretches of the game but was unable to create enough concrete chances to win the match.

It had all looked so different in the early stages of the game. Reading set off at the start of the game to attack Bolton, but the Trotters weathered the early storm. Marek Matejovsky, making his full debut gave away a penalty in the 23rd minute when he was judged to have brought down Gretar Steinsson in the penalty box. Matthew Taylor stepped up to take the kick, but Marcus Hahnemann produced a wonderful diving save to his right to deny Taylor. Hahnemann’s magnificent save seemed to be the signal to lift Reading, however it was the visitors who took the most heart from the American’s stop. Ten minutes after the missed spot kick, Bolton got their lead. Kevin Nolan latched onto a Kevin Davies flick on and fired past Hahnemann from inside the penalty box.

Reading started the second half in the same way that they had started the first. However, despite having the lion’s share of the play, Reading was unable to capitalise on their domination of possession. Indeed, Reading’s best chance came in the 50th minute when a corner swung in through a melee of players and appeared to be going in, but the ball was cleared off the line at the last second by Bolton’s Danny Guthrie. Reading produced further flashes at goal, but was unable to provide enough punch to trouble the Bolton defence, which was holding firm.

Bolton’s executed the classic away team manoeuvre by policing their defensive wall and then knocking Reading out with a sucker punch in the 58th minute when Heidar Helguson ran onto a Matt Taylor pass to slot the ball past Hanhemann for 2-0. There were calls for offside, but having looked at the goal again it seems the officials were correct. It also seemed that Bolton had won a game that was no longer going to be a war of attrition.

Reading’s sixth straight defeat has set alarm bells ringing, but the truth of the matter is that it’s not over yet. A third of the season; fourteen games to be precise; remain. Reading has 42 points to play for, but without being over analytical anything is possible. After all the majority of those games may see Reading cast as underdogs. With that in mind perhaps there is nothing to lose. It seems that a dog- fight is well and truly on the cards, but there is plenty of Reading players capable of being able to respond to that situation. Steve Coppell is also up for the challenge and with plenty of twists and turns to come in the remaining third of the season he is correct not to fear it. There will be a few unexpected moments still to come so don’t give up just yet.

By Stuart Croucher.