Bristol Rovers 0-2 Reading: Player Ratings
Who was your standout in Reading's vital win at the Mem?
Joel Pereira: 8
Man of the match: this could have been a very different result without him.
A few decent saves early in the game and a good punch-out in the 15th minute. Very good diving save to his right in the 20th minute. Alert to come out and block a shot in the 24th minute, before the offside was given.
Incredible save in the 37th minute: he had to be very alert and quick to stop a powerful half-volley. Seemed to be nursing an injury, as went down twice for attention in the first half. Took a kick in the 41st minute when coming out to claim a through ball being chased by a Bristol Rovers attacker, but came through unscathed.
Dealt with the 58th-minute free-kick without any issues. Unbelievable save in the 62nd minute from a header, which he had no business being able to save but was able to.
Claimed a high ball in the 94th minute, demonstrating that - despite making the best save in this half - he had a much quieter 45 than the first half.
Great long ball to Billy Bodin that led to Campbell’s goal as well. Worth noting it was a touching moment to see him run the length of the pitch to celebrate the first goal with the team.
Tivonge Rushesha: 6
Lost the ball in the 41st minute carelessly, which led to a Bristol Rovers attack. Otherwise, a quiet and unspectacular first half, which, frankly, is exactly what you’d want from a midfielder playing at right-back.
Grew into the game in the second half and occasionally showed some good movement and passing. Came off for Yiadom in the 76th minute, after having a quietly solid outing. As an aside, he looked great in the red away shirt.
Amadou Mbengue: 5
Combined with Bindon to make a bit of a mess in the ninth minute to let the last Rovers man through, but showed great recovery ability to block the shot.
Lost the man from a dangerous cross in the 30th minute but the header was well off target. Gave a foul away in the 33rd minute on the edge of the box after clipping the attacker’s foot.
Given a very harsh yellow card in the 58th minute for tripping an attacker despite them being offside and Mbengue not actually making contact with the player. Led to a dangerous free-kick which Pereira dealt with.
Didn’t have his best game today, but helped by Rovers not being able to maintain their first-half level of pressure in the second half. Seemed to have a heavily strapped-up shoulder, as seen at the end of the game, so an injury could explain this.
Tyler Bindon: 6
Mostly tidy with his play to win headers and tackles early on, apart from a misjudged interception in the ninth minute.
A quiet game all round. Good clearing (sort-of) diving header in the 87th minute off the line, but generally, didn’t need to do much and it was a very standard day at the office for Bindon.
Andre Garcia: 6
Gave a foul away in the 13th minute for a cynical shirt pull on a Bristol player, and looked short of his usual pace during the first half. Caught ball watching in the 31st minute during a dangerous attack.
Took a fierce shot in the 61st minute which the ‘keeper was only able to parry, but no Reading attacker was nearby to take advantage of this.
He was part of the build-up play for the goal, having gotten forward down the left. Went on an incredible run past two or three Bristol players to break from deep into the Bristol box, and decided to go for goal from a tight angle when, instead, he should have cut back into the box. Carelessly put the ball out of play when passing to Savage down the line in the 83rd minute.
Overall, had a reasonable game and offered a lot going forward in the second half.
Lewis Wing: 7
Decent free-kick from the deep right-hand side of the pitch in the 24th minute to set up Campbell for a chance but a subdued performance in the first half. I'm not sure what he consumed in the half-time break, but whatever it was, order me some of that please!
He started to find more space in the second half and provided a good ball to Ehibhatiomhan in the 57th minute. Got forward into the opposition box and opened the scoring with an assured finish - these are the positions we need to see him occupy more.
Stalled on the ball in the 87th minute which ended up with him giving the ball away, but fortunately, the rest of the team were alert to clear the danger. Claimed a good assist for Campbell’s goal at the end of the game, playing him in on the left.
A goal and assist today gets him a 7/10, though it's worth noting that it could well have been a 6/10, given how subdued his first half was. Also really nice to see him take the time to celebrate with every player after scoring his goal, demonstrating this great team ethic we have.
Charlie Savage: 6
No notes for the first half. Very quiet, but he remained diligent with his tracking-back to support defensively. Got more involved in the second half, but still one of his more reserved performances.
However, even on his quieter days, we tend to play our best football through Savage, and after receiving a good cut-back from Ehibhatiomhan he played a fantastic one-touch cushioned pass to Wing in the box for the opener in the second half.
Savage also set up Wing, who ran into space just outside the Bristol Rovers 18-yard box in the 79th minute. Decent right-footed effort in the 88th minute from around 25 yards out, which was just wide of the post.
Harvey Knibbs: 5
Just not his day today. Didn’t do much wrong, but he was just not at the races and struggled to get involved.
It started very promisingly, as he immediately got a shot off in the first minute, but wasn’t able to get power in the effort after getting the ball stuck under his feet, with the 'keeper able to parry it. This was about as good as it got for Knibbs today.
Made a bit of a mess of a shot with his weaker left foot in the 60th minute, which went out for a throw, and no other notes for the second half. Quiet day for him, all round.
Kelvin Ehibhatiomhan: 6
Started the game like a man on a mission, but soon faded. Great cut-back in from the left-hand side in the first minute to Knibbs in the penalty area.
Unfortunate scuffed shot/cross (I think it was supposed to be a cross to Wareham) in the sixth minute, though with his weaker left foot.
Decent run in the 43rd minute, but he seems uncomfortable moving the ball more centrally at pace to give himself a better shooting angle, but managed to win a corner.
Likely to have scored in the 57th minute but incorrectly adjudged to have been offside. Good link-up play with Knibbs in the 60th minute and was also part of the build-up play for the goal.
Tried to win a penalty in the 74th minute but probably wasn’t enough contact. Also showed good link-up play with Savage in the 79th minute. Subbed off for Bodin in the 86th minute, having had a reasonable outing.
It's worth noting his growing confidence in using his left foot.
Jayden Wareham: 5
Maybe a little bit harsh to grade Wareham as a 5/10 -his score was a difficult one to grade. Decent hold-up play early in the game and did his usual trick of winning headers he shouldn’t. Excellent hold-up play to win a foul in the 31st minute to relieve pressure from the team after a dangerous Rovers attack.
He did well to win the ball through his tenacious style of play and lay it off for a Savage shot in the 88th minute.
While he worked hard, he reverted back to type by not getting enough (or indeed, as far as I can remember, any) shots off. Came off for Stickland in the 92nd minute. Not a bad outing, but we do need to see a little bit more from him.
Chem Campbell: 5
Really wasn’t having a good day today, but the goal has added a layer of gloss to an otherwise quite underwhelming outing. However, it’s worth noting that his best work seems to be when he’s playing on the left, which he rarely gets to do.
In the first half, he provided an excellent cross-field ball to Ehibhatiomhan in space from deep in the sixth minute and, in typical Campbell fashion, found the yin to that yang with a poor shot in the penalty area in the 24th minute from a Wing free-kick.
Won a free-kick in the 66th minute but should have kept running as the space was opening up ahead of him to move the ball into the opposition’s half. Got a chance in the 75th minute to run into acres of space, with Ehibhatiomhan open on the left of the pitch, he played a poor ball which Ehibhatiomhan had no chance of reaching.
Scored in extra time with a great strike of the ball to put the game out of doubt.
Substitutes
Andy Yiadom: 6
Came on at right-back for Rushesha in the 75th minute in one of his now-rare appearances in his native position on the pitch. Got forward well in the 81st minute to support an attack and linked the play well, and moved the ball well too.
It’s a mystery why he’s not starting there, as while Rushesha did nothing wrong, Yiadom seems much more able to influence the game when on the pitch.
Michael Stickland: N/A
Came on for Wareham in the 92nd minute in the most “shutting up shop” Hunt substitution of all time. Naturally didn't have enough playing time to earn a rating, and honestly, I can’t remember Stickland being required to do anything in his brief cameo role, which is never a bad thing to say about a defender.
Billy Bodin: N/A
Came on for Ehibhatiomhan in the 86th minute, so therefore doesn’t meet the requirements to earn a rating.
Did brilliantly to win the ball on the right and play the ball to Wing, for the pre-assist to Campbell’s goal. I think he was also caught offside one time, which seems to be bang on trend for him, but generally, it was a bright enough display for the 10 or so minutes he had on the pitch.
Average: 5.91/10
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