TASTY COTTAGE TIE
Reading skipper McShane sees red as Fulham are frustrated
THE RACE for Premier League promotion is finely poised but Reading will have to make do without their captain for the return leg after Paul McShane’s straight red at Fulham yesterday.
McShane was sent off for sticking his studs into the knee of Kevin McDonald in the second half of this Championship play-off semi-final first leg.
No one scored more than Fulham in English football’s second tier this season but they were unable to inflict any further misery on Reading. The visitors had taken a surprise lead through Jordan Obita but Tom Cairney cancelled that out, and the tie will now be decided at the Madejski Stadium on Tuesday. Fulham, though, are frustrated. This ground is one of English football’s gems with its old-fashioned charm and positioning by the River Thames. For this visit of Reading, it was rocking.
Reading lost 5-0 the last time they were at the Cottage. A repeat of that result would have had Fulham on their way to the final at Wembley. That has been an issue for Jaap Stam this season — his side’s soft underbelly away from home. They lost 5-0 here, 7-1 at Norwich, 4-1 at Brentford, 4-1 at Newcastle, and so on.
Looking to avoid another heavy loss, Reading came here with a plan to counter-attack and try to take a clean sheet back to the Madejski.
They wasted time throughout — much to Fulham’s frustration — but Stam will be satisfied with this outcome. Fulham started on the front foot and almost took the lead in the 11th minute when Cairney tried his luck from 25 yards. His curled attempt went wide by a yard. They then should have scored in the 20th minute when Floyd Ayite broke through from the left wing and cut the ball back for Sone Aluko, who was unmarked. He snatched at it and sent his shot wide.
By half time, Reading had not managed a single shot on or off target. That changed in the 53rd minute when Obita received the ball to the left of the box and unleashed a shot that went in off the far post.
Then in the 65th minute, Fulham got what they felt was justice. Reading goalkeeper Ali Al Habsi made a hash of a Scott Malone cross and gifted it to Cairney, who headed home.
The pressure was then piled on Reading when McShane was sent off. With 10 minutes to go, they had 10 men. Reading survived and all eyes will be on the Madejski on Tuesday.