Fans were left baffled after an attempted clearance leads to own goal before Reading comeback to draw 2-2 at Cheltenham Town.
Reading came back from two goals down to snatch a point at their League One relegation rivals with all four goals coming in the first half.
David Button produced a number of impressive saves in keeping out efforts from Liam Sercombe, George Lloyd and Lewis Freestone.
Then came the opener on 29th minutes as Street and Long combined before Sercombe sent the ball home for his fourth of the season.
The hosts’ lead doubled after the 37th minute after Button blocked an effort from Freestone, only for a clearance from Amadou Mbengue to hit his own goalkeeper and went straight into the net.
2023 perfectly summed up in a four second clip. We’re a laughing stock. #readingfc pic.twitter.com/ljVDQfzBDk
— Ed Ryding (@EdRyding) December 29, 2023
Button denied Ben Williams in the 42nd minute, before Lewis Wing saw his corner headed in at the back post by Jeriel Dorsett, getting on back for Reading on the 45th minute.
Then the Royals found their leveller two minutes into time added on at the end of the first half, when Paul Mukairu got on the end of Wing’s cross.
CHELTENHAM TOWN (3-4-1-2): Southwood; Smith, Bradbury, Freestone; Long (c), Pett, Thompson (Bonds 61), B. Williams (Ferry 61); Sercombe (Hammond 77); Street (Keena 45), Lloyd (Butler-Oyedeji 77). Subs not used: Pardington (Gk), Horton
READING (4-2-3-1): Button; Mbengue (Bindon 62), Holmes, Abbey, Dorsett; Wing, Craig (Savage 86); Azeez, Knibbs, Mukairu (Elliott 76); Smith. Subs not used: Pereira (Gk), Mola, Ehibhatiomhan, Vickers
REFEREE: S Tallis
Reading boss Ruben Selles said post-match: “A difficult game away from home. It was a good start from the opponent in the game, I think it was a poor performance from us in the first 40 minutes, they were the better team in this time, and we were not in the game at all. Then we came back, we start to do the things that we usually do. Put the ball down, be aggressive into the spaces, and from a corner kick, what we have not been doing in the last games, we scored the first one and then got the equaliser, it gave us some energy straight away, then we went into half-time thinking that we went through that difficult period so we can get something. The second half was an equal game, and we defended some set-play situations in the end well, and we had some set-play situations we could have scored from. I am happy with the performance. Of course, we need to start the game much better.
“We knew with their new coach the style of play that they have. They are really good in the things that they do, and we knew the kind of game we would have in front of us. We were not on top of it, and we paid the price in the first 40 minutes, we could not win any first or second balls, put the ball down or almost do anything that we planned for the game.
“The team has energy, the boys are really powerful in terms of physicality and as we say we are not going to say any excuses. The players that I put in today I think are the best players to win the match and fatigue didn’t play a role in the game.
“The team can be clinical, but they also need to go through a couple of situations like today, playing away to a good opponent in a good moment who are also in the relegation battle, and we still need to learn how to play these games. I think we learned a big lesson today; we took a point so the day was good, and hopefully the next time it happens we will be ready from the beginning.
“The boys already improved in the last part of the first half, we knew they were going to be a difficult team to control, especially in the set plays, but I thought that we were competitive in that part of the game.
“I think in the last couple of months we have turned things around, we are competitive, can get points, and challenge every team in the league. This is what we need to aim for in the next game and in the New Year and go about the second part of the season in that way.
“Monday will be a very different game to today, Exeter are a team that has been struggling but they have a clear philosophy, and a good coach, and they didn’t win for a long time similar to us but they turned it around, and it is going to be difficult, it is a team that wants to be good in possession, play out from the back, explore the spaces and pull you in, and they want to come high and press us. It is going to be a competitive game and we will be ready for that.
“Right now, all we are thinking about is having a good recovery day tomorrow, and then let’s take that game a little bit after things happens, so quick here and so different day by day but that Exeter game will come, and we still need to do a couple of things ahead of that game.
“The fans are absolutely amazing, they have been supporting us for the entire season and they see the team growing, unfortunately in the first 45 minutes today the football was not the best for them to watch but they were supporting us throughout that period and then they helped us come back into the game and stay competitive until the very end.”
As mentioned, fans were left baffled after an attempted clearance leads to an own goal before Reading draw at Cheltenham…
@SimonHawthorn2: That’s the best football from Mbengue all half, he is useless
@easty2107: Oh my god 😂😂😂
@exiled_royal: Absolutely woeful #readingfc
@IanM1871: What a goal to concede!
@BuddNigel: One of if not the most embarrassing goal we have ever conceded
@DH_Editz: If my u13s did this I’d be embarrassed.
@dadros70: Beyond embarrassing
@cjlsmith87: Mbengue is absolute garbage. What is he doing? Such a slack player. Desperately need some decent wing backs
@harleylane1: I just don’t understand how this has just happened
@1871_GS: Genuinely why do I bother
@formulamclaren4: This might be the worst thing I’ve ever seen
@crosskeysfan: Absolute jokester goal.
@garyfleming14: Sum up #readingfc 2023
@joshyt6: Our goal of the season
@RFCJoeJ: What is Mbengue doing? 😭😭
@markharding1988: It’s actually laughable. 😂😂😂
@dinghugo6: average reading goal conceded
@mattyadders: A classic #ctfc usually we do this!!!
@georgey_doors: Even the ref just stands there like WTF 😂
@alexshepherdd: this is genuinely the worst goal i’ve ever witnessed 🙃 #readingfc
@WebberRoss: Hastily changing my comedy moment of 2023 for the year end show tomorrow
@AndyPreston96: Even by Reading’s standards this is absolute Sunday league stuff. Can’t get over how casual the clearance is #ReadingFC
You must be logged in to post a comment Login