Match Report
Reading
J Mackie (90)
Bolton
E Gudjohnsen (60)
Reading will go into Saturday's big FA Cup quarter final match at Bradford City on the back of a very late draw at
Bolton Wanderers this evening. Reading trailed 0-1 into stoppage time at the end of the match but rescued a very
late point when Jamie Mackie made it 1-1 with moments left to play. Mackie's goal seemed to come from nowhere with Reading struggling to create any clear cut opportunities as he fired home from outside the area into the bottom corner of the net. Moments before the goal Bolton might have wrapped up the three points, after looking much the better side in the second half, but Federici's save was crucial.
Reading made two changes from the side that was unsuccessful against Nottingham Forest on Saturday at the Madejski Stradium. Mackie, who was unable to face his own club at the weekend, was back in action up front alongside Pavel Pogrebnyak. Simon Cox found himself on the bench and restricted to playing just the last twenty minutes.
Danny Williams was moved to the bench with Oliver Norwood taking his place in midfield in the starting eleven. The changes looked like they would make little difference until Mackie earned Reading a point that justified his place in the starting eleven. Mackie had also had the most of Reading's limited chances in the first half, with the only other effort of note seeing Alex Pearce head over the Bolton crossbar. Bolton took the lead on the hour when former Reading player Adam Le Fondre turned provider to set up first half substitute Gudjohnsen to score. Mackie's late goal was only Reading's second league goal in six matches.
Reading had looked set to follow up two 0-3 defeats with a 0-1 defeat at Bolton but instead pulled further away from the drop zone, thanks to a Millwall defeat, as they increased the gap to ten points. The Royals had been bright enough in the first half, going in 0-0 at the break. Reading might have had extra hope after the home side were forced to use all three of their substitutes during the first half due to injuries. However, Reading, once again, were poor in the second half.
Meanwhile Bradford City kept a cleansheet at home as they ran out 1-0 winners against Crawley. That result made Reading's late point perhaps even more important as we can head into that game with a bit more hope against a Bradford City side who will be clear favourites to make it to the semi-finals.
Reading made two changes from the side that was unsuccessful against Nottingham Forest on Saturday at the Madejski Stradium. Mackie, who was unable to face his own club at the weekend, was back in action up front alongside Pavel Pogrebnyak. Simon Cox found himself on the bench and restricted to playing just the last twenty minutes.
Danny Williams was moved to the bench with Oliver Norwood taking his place in midfield in the starting eleven. The changes looked like they would make little difference until Mackie earned Reading a point that justified his place in the starting eleven. Mackie had also had the most of Reading's limited chances in the first half, with the only other effort of note seeing Alex Pearce head over the Bolton crossbar. Bolton took the lead on the hour when former Reading player Adam Le Fondre turned provider to set up first half substitute Gudjohnsen to score. Mackie's late goal was only Reading's second league goal in six matches.
Reading had looked set to follow up two 0-3 defeats with a 0-1 defeat at Bolton but instead pulled further away from the drop zone, thanks to a Millwall defeat, as they increased the gap to ten points. The Royals had been bright enough in the first half, going in 0-0 at the break. Reading might have had extra hope after the home side were forced to use all three of their substitutes during the first half due to injuries. However, Reading, once again, were poor in the second half.
Meanwhile Bradford City kept a cleansheet at home as they ran out 1-0 winners against Crawley. That result made Reading's late point perhaps even more important as we can head into that game with a bit more hope against a Bradford City side who will be clear favourites to make it to the semi-finals.