Reading Beaten but not Ashamed

Reading may have been beaten 7-4 by Portsmouth at Fratton Park on Saturday, but we were by no means ashamed.

To come away from a game, and an away game at that having scored four goals you would never expect to lose, but with Portsmouth scoring seven we obviously did. To the neutral observer that didn't see the game although you would think it was a cracking game, which it was you would think that it was a mauling, which it wasn't really despite the scoreline.

Portsmouth totally dominated the opening half and how we managed to go in only 2-1 down was a real surprise but confidence was gained from this and after remarkably getting back to 2-2, which was basically a case of two chances two goals had James Harper taken his chance, or Nicky Shorey not seen David James save his penalty who knows what might have happened?

Defensively we were very poor and far too open against a Portsmouth side that were rampant coming forward. Sometimes you just have to hold your hands up and say the better team won, as they did, but at the same time you also have to say at times that you can't explain how a match can end as this one did, but the battle went on right to the very end with the travelling fans showing great support for the club.

Reading were beaten but we were not embarrassed or ashamed and if we keep playing like this, but with more emphasis on the defensive side of the game there is no chance of Reading being relegated this season despite all the talk of second season syndrome.

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