Woking 0-2 Reading: Match Report

Second-half goals from Jayden Wareham and Kelvin Ehibhatiomhan (penalty) gave the Royals victory in their first pre-season friendly of the summer open to fans.

Ah, did you smell that? That sweet, sweet smell of hot, sticky Reading fans queueing to get inside a non-league stadium? Well, that too, but it was more that football (which wasn’t behind closed doors (where is that door, exactly?) was back in our loving (sweaty) arms once more. Or was it just Rollover hot dogs? Who knows!

After a summer without football that hasn’t seemed that long at all, thanks in part to the extended play-off run for the under-21s and the small matter of a Euros to eat up valuable time between the end of the domestic season, the new dawn (another one, just like the ones we’ve had before) might be on its way. Maybe. Hopefully.

But before any talk of a takeover, any takeover will do, we must talk about the first pre-season friendly that’s been open to us mere mortals. One of our first trips to Woking, ever, so it seems. Quite strange considering that both clubs aren’t that far apart geographically yet have contrived never to play each other before at any competitive level.

Woking, not without their own financial troubles, hosted this inaugural encounter at their Laithwaite Community Stadium. With an interesting hotchpotch of stands: a terrace behind a goal, an entire terrace down one side (where the majority of the Reading fans stood), a tidy modern stand behind one of the goals (where other Reading fans sat, like me), and what can only be described as some other little stands that time had forgot on the other side which also contained the quirkily named “Moany Corner Café”. Wonderful. I liked it, it had a nice vibe to it. Can’t beat a bit of lower-league quirkiness of their grounds.

Anyway, football. Let’s talk about that. Woking clearly had one tactic in the first half, especially, and that was rudimentary and obvious; just to maim everyone in blue and white. Maybe that’s a tad strong, but some reporting would label this as a physical encounter with both sides enjoying some thundering tackles. The referee seemed more than happy to let challenges fly in from all angles without so much of a whiff of a yellow card, but pre-season friendlies have different rules, naturally.

Reading (starting XI, 4-3-3): Button; Rushesha, Stickland, Dean, Ryan; Elliott, Craig, Senga; Camara, Smith, Tuma

Reading seemed to give it just as much as take it. Michael Stickland stood out for not shirking a challenge or two. The other Michael of the Craig variety also slid around and enjoyed his midfield tussle with the opposition tremendously, it seemed.

The physicality was really the only thing that stood out in the first half. Maybe it was the lack of football lately that made this a bit jarring on the eyes initially but there was a lot of huff and puff - not so much of a cutting edge. Everyone just seemed to having a whale of a time flinging themselves around left and right, nonetheless.

There were also the timely reminders that Harlee Dean is still with the club and David Button still can’t venture outside the six-yard box without having a very, very valid and important reason for doing so. He’s still not worked out what those reasons are, however.

At half-time the score was a fair 0-0. We probably shaded it on balance, but there wasn’t much in it. Neither side looked like scoring, in truth. Basil Tuma and Mamadi Camara were largely ineffective in the wider positions and, in turn, Sam Smith was isolated. But, whatever, it’s a pre-season friendly innit? It’s all minutes in the legs and all that.

Oh, but wait, what’s this we have here?! What is an Andre Garcia and where has he been hiding? At half-time, as is customary, a raft of changes occurred. A few newer names surfaced, such as Abraham Kanu, Emmanuel Osho and this Garcia kid. Well, remember the name of the latter as he’s got the potential to be quite something.

Garcia played at left-back for the second half, but I very much doubt that this is his natural position. What stood out within a few minutes of him taking the field were his excellent vision, natural high confidence and lack of fear - at all - to try something. He has a lot of similarities to Ben Elliott in terms of his movement, passing and close control. Definitely one to watch out for.

Reading (after half-time changes, 4-3-3): Button; Osho, Stickland, Dean, Garcia; Savage, Craig, Senga; Camara, Wareham, Tuma

While the first half was a bit stodgy, like a Toby Carvery with all the meats and enough veg to sink a battleship, the second was light and breezy, like a healthy Mediterranean salad on a veranda overlooking the ocean. Off the ball we were better, our passing was crisper and we used the width of the pitch more with cross-field balls. Oh, and Charlie Savage didn’t get the memo to ease off the heavy tackling from the first half, wading in at every opportunity.

Lewis Wing also appeared and looked every inch the Rolls-Royce in midfield that we know and love. Man, it was good to see him fit and well as we know we’ll rely on him for the new season. Still, he wasn’t shy of the odd challenge either.

Reading (after a raft of changes on the hour mark, 4-3-3): Pereira; Osho, Mbengue, Kanu, Garcia; Sackey, Wing, Savage; Azeez, Wareham, Ehibhatiomhan

Just as Woking tired a bit, we took control of the game. Jayden Wareham, as always, put in the maximum effort required and was a rewarded with a fine snorter of a finish via an equally fine through ball by Camara. With Reading now in firm control, more confident and fitter, it was no surprise when the second goal came.

Half-time substitute Amadou Mbengue sent Kelvin Ehibatiomhan away into the box. A wee bit of trickery later and the big fella was tripped for a stonewaller of a penalty. Femi Azeez had some audacity to try and take the penalty himself, but Big Kelv was not having it. The spot-kick was put away despite the Woking ‘keeper getting both paws to the ball. Ah well, Kelvin Abrefa scored (according to the stadium announcer who clearly just took the easier Kelvin route!). Well done to you both.

And that was pretty much that. As per the norm, you can’t get too excited about pre-season friendlies, nobody remembers them by September. The squad in the main looked youthful, committed, together and bright. Oh, and we had a pitch invader for no apparent reason whatsoever. Cool. Well done you.

Onto Saturday, and back to the SCL for the Battle of the Hoops for more pre-season it-doesn’t-matter-if-we-lose but we-are-so-going-up-if-we-win vibes! Nice.