Swansea vs Reading: Swans hit back to rock Royals
Reading are still without a Barclays Premier League win this season after throwing away a two-goal lead in a 2-2 draw at Swansea.
The Royals went 1-0 up against the run of play in the 31st minute when goalkeeper Michel Vorm allowed Pavel Pogrebnyak's shot to slip beneath him and in.
They then doubled their advantage a minute before the break as Noel Hunt beat Vorm with a tidy volley but Swansea continued to dominate play in the second half and after Michu converted a 71st-minute header, Wayne Routledge's fierce strike drew the contest level in the 78th minute.
Overall, Reading were lucky to come away with a point in the end, with the hosts being thwarted by a succession of excellent saves from Royals stopper Alex McCarthy - who twice sent efforts onto the post - and also having a strong-looking penalty claim for handball dismissed towards the end.
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It did take a goal-line clearance at the death from Swansea captain Ashley Williams to keep out Jem Karacan's header, though, and Reading will feel a fair degree of disappointment at missing this opportunity to end a winless top-flight streak which now extends to six games.
The Swans, meanwhile, have stopped their rot, having lost their previous three Premier League games going into the match.
The Welsh outfit had made a bright start, creating several decent chances in the opening 20 minutes.
Williams - named this week as the new Wales skipper - nodded off target three times while Danny Graham saw a header turned over the bar by McCarthy, who also batted away a shot from Routledge.
Routledge then played a one-two with Nathan Dyer and struck an effort that was blocked by Adrian Mariappa, with replays suggesting a suspicion of handball.
Reading had shown little going forward but just after the half-hour mark they snatched the lead as Pogrebnyak latched on to a through-ball from Jobi McAnuff and hit an effort at Vorm.
It should have been a routine save for the Dutchman but, instead, it somehow sneaked beyond him and into the net.
Swansea looked to make a swift response and Ki Sung-yueng drilled into the arms of McCarthy from distance but in the 44th minute Reading struck again.
A McAnuff shot looped up off Angel Rangel and Hunt was on hand to lash the ball past Vorm.
Swans boss Michael Laudrup reacted by substituting Graham at the interval for Luke Moore, who was straight into the thick of the action.
First, he found himself through one-on-one with McCarthy but was denied by the goalkeeper's foot.
Moore then sent a header goalwards which McCarthy did superbly to push against the post.
McCarthy repeated the trick soon after by pushing Ki's deflected low shot onto his other upright and then got down well to save a Williams header.
He was finally beaten with 19 minutes to go as Michu powered in a diving header from a deflected Routledge cross.
McCarthy pulled off yet another great stop to keep Moore out but Swansea were not to be denied and after Ki robbed Reading of possession, a forward break was rounded off by Routledge's firm finish.
The hosts cried out for a penalty when Nicky Shorey appeared to block Pablo Hernandez's shot with his arm in the box but play went on and the late drama continued as Williams jumped on the line to nod away Karacan's header after another uncharacteristic Vorm error.
Comments
by brochadav
Monday, October 08 2012, 9:27PM
“Muffinman, were you at the game? We weren't brilliant in the first half but still the better team and second half (with a bit more good luck) we could have scored 5 and without their goalie being in excellent form we would have.
Anyone not happy after that comeback is not a proper fan, we worked our socks off to get back in the game and should have won.”
by DanEGraig
Sunday, October 07 2012, 8:23PM
“Any truth in the rumour that Sergio Garcia was offered a ride on Tatey's golf buggy, but for some reason he decided to decline.. ..”
by muffinman235
Sunday, October 07 2012, 7:24PM
“Swans were slow and predictable in a game that was chalked up by ML as a banker game along with the next home game against Wigan. both are games that we need to win if we are to survive another season in the PL. This game was hard work and we got out of jail, but looking at wigan, they were unlucky to beat Everton and they stuffed us. I fear that we will be in the last three or five fighting for survival and will be relegated this season. We have been found out and Laudrup has no idea of the storm that is going to hit us. i hope i am wrong..”
by abertawejack
Sunday, October 07 2012, 4:57PM
“Excellent play and unlucky not to have won this game, The lads done themselves proud and I hope our Garcia's half time (Rider cup) chat spurred each and everybody forwards. ;-) I think we now have the basis of a great team to come back from 2 nil down, onwards and forwards boyo's CC'MMMOOONNN UUU SSSWWWAAANNNSSS........ Yeehaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa”
by jc205
Sunday, October 07 2012, 3:57PM
“Should have mentioned Leon, another star performance in his 400th game, heres to many more.”
by jc205
Sunday, October 07 2012, 3:54PM
“Sad that we didnt get the win we deserved but was delighted with our play, back to the passing game, over 600, though the pass accuracy was not quite as high as it has been....agree about the penalty ..but Mike Dean never has favoured the Swans....Ki is filling the Allen role, and Michu the Siggurson,but we missed chances to score as we did for so long last season....but felt really positive as I left the stadium, and from what people were saying I think most were”
by swanseaola
Sunday, October 07 2012, 9:16AM
“Really impressed with Ki and Leon today,Ki is a really silky player and was Swans man of the match for me.Leon wasn't far behind.
Ashley had his best game for a while! C'Mon the SWANS.”
by valleyswan
Saturday, October 06 2012, 9:07PM
“Brian Mcdermott's comment that he was pleased with a point and that he regarded it as a point gained says it all really. Swansea were by far the better side, and the reasons we didn't win was down to a superb display by Reading's goalkeeper,un uncharacteristic error by Vorm,not getting the rub of the green today ,a decent shout for a penalty refused, and it has to be said, a less than clinical finishing in the first half in which I feel we should have scored at least one goal. However, it was a much better display, something to which we are more accustomed. Congratulations to Leon on his 400th appearance.”
by phildavies14
Saturday, October 06 2012, 7:29PM
“Big thumbs up for Luke Moore today. Changed the game.
If we start the game (fast and direct) like we did the 2nd half we will be ok. No good having a load of possession and doing nothing with it.
HT, Thought we were out of it, but fair play, we should have won it.”
by phildavies14
Saturday, October 06 2012, 7:27PM
“Big Thumbs up for Luke Moore today. Changed the game.”