ASTON VILLA READING CHESTER VILLAIN Skipper takes rap for last-gasp penalty
STEVE BRUCE blamed captain James Chester for the stoppage-time gaff that cost Villa victory.
Referee Darren England looked to have given Reading a controversial penalty gift when he ruled that Chester had fouled sub Josh Sims in the third minute of added time.
But Villa boss Bruce got the official off the hook.
“I thought it was a penalty,” said Bruce. “Chester knows he doesn’t have to give the referee a decision to make. There was no need for him to go to ground. It’s a cardinal sin.
“He usually stays on his feet. He didn’t have to give the referee that temptation.
“It would be easy for me to come out and say, ‘I don’t think it was a penalty’. But I thought it was.”
Sam Baldock slammed the ball home after being denied 11 minutes earlier by a triple save from Villa keeper Orjan Nyland that looked to have decided the game. Villa had led from the 51st minute without being convincing. They ought to have done much better against a struggling Reading side.
Nyland, who has come in for stick with mistakes in his first three games, made a triple save.
He deflected Baldock’s 82ndminute shot on to the crossbar, then pushed the ball away from his goal line and followed up with a save from sub Yakou Meite.
“They were the saves of the season,” said Bruce. “Wonderful saves that deserved a clean sheet.”
Reading manager Paul Clement admitted he thought his team were doomed when Nyland came up with his miracle. The Royals are still next to bottom without a win in the Championship and Clement said: “We have been on the wrong end of some really difficult margins in every game.
“At one point it looked as if it was going to be another. They were brilliant saves by their goalkeeper. We could have just said, ‘That’s it now. If we can’t score that...’ But we kept going until the end.
“I haven’t seen a replay of the penalty. When I saw the incident in real time, I thought 50-50.”
Villa had taken the lead with a goal made by Dutch winger Anwar El Ghazi, signed on a season’s loan from Lille.
He was looking for a Hollywood debut in the 11th minute when he sprinted past Tiago Ilori and had a shot aimed at just inside the near post that was deflected away.
Villa striker Jonathan Kodjia would have appreciated a pullback and the chance of his fourth goal in three games.
But El Ghazi did make an impact six minutes into the second half when his cross was headed in by Ahmed Elmohamady.
“It could have been better for us ,” admitted Bruce.
“But we are still unbeaten and that is a decent start to the season. I’ll take that.”