The Valiants fall to defeat at The Select Car Leasing Stadium following Paddy Lane’s second half strike.
Darren Moore made two changes following our midweek victory at Birmingham City. George Byers returned to the starting eleven after serving his three-game suspension and Mitch Clark also returned to take the place of Jordan Gabriel. New signing Djaune Brown was named on the bench after joining the club on loan from Derby County on Wednesday.
The hosts had the game’s first chance in the 6th minute. Good work from Ashqar Ahmed allowed him space to cross from the right side, but the low ball flashed across the face of goal.
After this near miss, both sides enjoyed spells in possession without really breaking any defensive lines. The next effort of note came just after the half hour mark when Reading broke forward with Savage, he found Daniel Kyerewaa, who got into the box before unleashing a weak effort that was comfortable for Joe Gauci down to his right side.
Moments later, Kyerewaa came close again as he broke forward following a Vale corner before striking an effort that just went the wrong side of the post and struck the side netting.
Eight minutes before the break, Vale fashioned a chance of their own. Ryan Croasdale played a nice one-two with Mo Faal before rolling the ball to Ronan Curtis, who forced a good save from Pereir,a who pushed the low effort around the post despite seeing it late through a succession of bodies.
Gauci was called into action again four minutes before the break as he was on hand to save Paddy Lane’s low effort at his near post.
Following a number of first half stoppages, the referee indicated six minutes of added time. In the second minute of added time, Ben Elliot was handed time and space on the edge of the area to shoot towards goal, but Gauci was equal to it and made a good save down low.
Two minutes later, Vale had the ball in the of the net following Mo Faal’s header, but he was adjudged to have fouled the keeper in the lead up to the goal and the goal was disallowed.
Five minutes after the break, the hosts had the first effort of the half after a cross from the left found its way to Paddy Lane, who took a touch before striking an effort straight at Gauc,i who turned it behind for a corner.
The corner was eventually cleared by Vale and as Ronan Curtis looked to take a quick throw in to start a counter-attack, Reading manager Noel Hunt kicked the ball away and was subsequently shown a straight red card.
Just before the hour mark, Darren Moore introduced Djaune Brown for his debut and he was immediately in the action when he beat the offside and latched into George Byer’s through ball, but his effort went well wide of the goal.
The opening goal of the game came in the the 65th minute. Daniel Kyerewaa’s ball looked to have missed its intended target as it rolled across the box, but Paddy Lane was quickest to react and he curled a strike into the top corner from the edge of the area to give his side the lead.
Darren Moore ringed the changes and Vale almost levelled the scores fifteen minutes from time when Curtis and Brown linked up well on the edge of the box, before Curtis fired a low effort towards goal that was well saved by Pereira, who saw it late and clawed it around the post.
Vale continued to push and as Kyle John drove down the right, his cross fell kindly to Ronan Curtis who saw his volley blocked before the ball fell to Funso Ojo, who scuffed his long-range effort wide.
Five minutes from time, Djaune Brown managed to outmuscle the defender and find himself in behind following Funso Ojo’s through-ball. As the Vale debutant got into the box, he blazed his effort over the crossbar.
With five minutes of added time being awarded, Vale squandered another good opportunity, Funso Ojo did well to win the ball high up the pitch, Kyle John then sent a cross into the box, which was headed wide by Ben Waine who had more time than he perhaps thought.
In the dying seconds, Funso Ojo’s cross was headed back across goal by Ronan Curtis into the path of Djaune Brown but Jeriel Dorsett got there in the nick of time to make a goal-saving latch ditch challenge.
TEAM NEWS
Reading: Joel Perreria, Ben Elliot (Kamari Doyle 61’), Matty Jacob, Charlie Savage (Liam Fraser 81’), Lewis Wing ©, Daniel Kyerewaa, Finley Burns, Mark O’Mahony (Jack Marriot 61’) Paddy Lane (Mamadi Camara 73’), Derrick Williams, Ashqar Ahmed (Jeriel Dorsett 81’).
Subs not used: Jack Stevens, Andre Garcia.
Booked: Matty Jacob, Ashqar Ahmed
Port Vale: Joe Gauci, Mitch Clark (Kyle John 61’), Jaheim Headley, Ben Heneghan (Ben Waine 70’), George Byers © (Jordan Shipley (70’), Ronan Curtis, Rhys Walters, Ryan Croasdale (Funso Ojo 55’), Jesse Debrah, Cameron Humphreys, Mo Faal (Djaune Brown 55’)
Subs not used: Marko Marosi, Liam Gordon.
Booked: Ben Heneghan, Ryan Croasdale
Attendance: 12,624 (910 visiting supporters)
