IT’S A MAD MAD WORLD Wilder: Madine’s shown what he’s about
GARY MADINE grabbed his first goals in 13 months as Sheffield United moved up to second in this rout of Reading.
Madine, on loan at Bramall Lane from Premier League Cardiff, hit two in the first half after a blistering start for the in-form Blades.
This victory gives United six successive wins at home – and they got off to dream start when Kieron Freeman scored after just 38 seconds.
United boss Chris Wilder gushed: “What a super start for us. We hit them hard from the off, then kept the hammer down, and squeezed the life out of them.
“I’m pleased Madine wanted to come here last month. He had other choices but he’s shown what he’s about with his two goals.”
Reading gaffer Jose Gomes admitted: “It was a very bad day. We started out losing the game by conceding that goal in the first minute. I didn’t like the way we played or the way we conceded the goals. But we haven’t got time to cry. We play Rotherham next week and that is our match of the season, against a team with us down there at the bottom of the division.”
Freeman gave United a lightning start and set the scene for Blades’ second-string attack in the absence of Billy Sharp and David Mcgoldrick.
It was all over long before John Fleck got in the act with his de- flected strike early in the second half. At 4-0 after 49 minutes, there was no way back for the struggling Berkshire boys.
Reading came into this tough encounter with a run of four games unbeaten, including the midweek scalp of Blackburn, but came up against a rampant Blades outfit.
It said everything that the Royals had only two shots on target – one from Yakou Meite, the other from Lewis Baker, both kept out by keeper Dean Henderson.
Freeman’s chance came when ‘Mr Dependable’ Mark Duffy sent over a low, angled cross. In roared Freeman to divert the ball past startled keeper Emiliano Martinez from close range.
Then it was the turn of Madine, who scored the winner for Bolton at Bramall Lane last season, but who hasn’t scored after being transferred to Cardiff over a year ago. No mistake this time for the 28-year-old Geordie, who whacked his first after just 16 minutes.
Madine’s second came just a minute before half-time, with Reading all at sea as United swept forward. Marvin Johnson’s super cross from the left was met by the incoming Madine, and he swept thome right footed from 10 yards.
Between times, Fleck found himself in acres of space and unleashed a long-range blast which Martinez managed to keep out.
But old hand Fleck wasn’t going to be left out, and cracked in a fourth for the Bramall Lane high-flyers just after half-time.
True, it took a deflection to give Martinez no chance for No.4. SHEFFIELD UNITED: Henderson 7; Cranie 6, Egan 7, Stevens 6; Norwood 7 (Coutts 72, 6), Fleck 7; Freeman 7 (Stearman 77), Duffy 8, Johnson 7; Hogan 7, Madine 8 (Dowell 84), Subs not used: Lundstram, Sharp, Mcgoldrick, Moore READING: Martinez 7; Yiadom 5, Miazga 5, Moore 5, Richards 6; Kelly 4 (Swift 19, 6), Baker 6; Meite 6, Ejaria 5 (Bodvarsson 45, 5), Barrow 6; Oliveira 5 (Mccleary 75, 4), Subs not used: Gunter, O’shea, Harriott, Walker MAN OF THE MATCH: Gary Madine. Two-goal loan star made his mark in United’s rout. REFEREE: Robert Jones 8.