It was a cold, actually very cold, Saturday afternoon at the Select Car Leasing Stadium, and Reading were up against Championship side Burnley in the Emirates FA Cup. Everyone knew this would be a tough test for the Royals, with the Clarets coming into the game in great form. Still, the crowd was hopeful. After all, the FA Cup is famous for its upsets, and Reading were keen to be the underdogs pulling off a shock.
Both teams lined up ready to battle it out for a spot in the last 32 of the competition. As the referee blew the whistle to get things underway, it didn’t take long for Burnley to show their quality. Within two minutes, the visitors created their first chance. Lyle Foster found himself with enough space to get a shot off inside the box, but luckily for Reading, his effort went flying high and wide—cue a sigh of relief from the home fans.
Burnley weren’t done yet. Just a few minutes later, Lucas Koleosho met a cross into the area and tried to volley it goalwards, but his shot went wide of the post. It was clear early on that Reading’s defence would have their work cut out for them.
By the ninth minute, Reading keeper David Button was called into action for the first time. Koleosho tried his luck from just inside the box, and although Button saw the ball late, he managed to get down quickly and gather it. Reading were definitely under pressure in the opening stages, but Button’s save gave them a bit of breathing room.
The first 10 minutes were all Burnley. It felt like Reading could hardly get out of their half, and it was starting to look like it might be a long afternoon for the home side. But gradually, Noel Hunt’s men began to find their rhythm. They pushed forward, using the wide areas well to whip crosses into the box. Burnley’s defence dealt with everything pretty comfortably, but at least Reading were starting to ask some questions.
Midway through the first half, there was a moment of controversy. Harvey Knibbs went down in the box after what looked like a clumsy challenge, and for a second, it seemed like the referee might point to the spot. But no—play on! The home fans weren’t too happy about that one, but there was no VAR to come to their rescue.
Despite not having much of the ball early on, Reading had grown into the game and were starting to create chances of their own. On 33 minutes, Tyler Bindon came agonisingly close to opening the scoring. Lewis Wing delivered a beautiful cross, and Bindon rose highest to meet it. He got his head on the ball but couldn’t quite keep it down, and it sailed just over the bar. So close!
Burnley responded almost immediately. Lucas Pires tried his luck with a volley from distance, but like Bindon’s effort, his shot flew over the bar. Moments later, Foster came even closer for the visitors, forcing Button into a brilliant save to tip the ball over for a corner. Reading were hanging on, but they were hanging on well.
As the first half drew to a close, Burnley had one last chance. Tommy McDermott showed some neat footwork inside the box and got a shot away, but it was deflected behind for a corner. From the resulting set piece, Jay Rodriguez fired a powerful effort just wide of the target.
Then, in stoppage time, Reading nearly stole the lead. Knibbs found space on the right and sent a teasing cross into the box. Sam Smith was lurking, ready to pounce, but some heroic defending from Joe Worrall denied him the opportunity. The half-time whistle blew shortly after, with both teams still goalless.
Half-Time: Reading 0-0 Burnley
The second half began with Reading looking much more confident. Right from the off, they created a chance through Tivonge Rushesha, who cut inside and fired a shot just wide of the post. Burnley, however, weren’t about to sit back. Their captain, Jay Rodriguez, led a counter-attack and set up Koleosho, who forced another decent save from Button.
As the game ticked past the hour mark, Reading had their best spell of the match. They created three huge chances in quick succession, all in front of the Eamonn Dolan Stand. First, a cross into the box just evaded Bindon, who was inches away from making contact. Then, Smith had two bites at the cherry, but both of his efforts were blocked by some desperate Burnley defending.
It felt like a goal was coming, but it was Burnley who struck first. With 20 minutes remaining, a superb cross into the box caused chaos in Reading’s defence. Foster was quickest to react, slotting home at the second attempt to give the visitors the lead. It was a cruel blow for the Royals, who had been on top for much of the half.
Despite going behind, Reading didn’t give up. Noel Hunt made a couple of changes, bringing on Louie Holzman and Emmanuel Osho to inject some fresh energy. Six minutes later, they got their reward. Wing, who had been excellent all afternoon, let fly from 35 yards. His shot looked speculative at best, but somehow, it slipped through the hands of Burnley keeper Vaclav Hladky and into the net. 1-1, and suddenly, the atmosphere in the stadium was electric!
In the dying moments of normal time, Burnley had a golden chance to win it. McDermott found himself in space on the edge of the box and went for goal, but his effort flew over the bar. Then, in stoppage time, Ashley Barnes got his head on a cross and directed it goalwards, but Button was equal to it once again. The referee blew for full-time, meaning we were heading for extra time.
Full-Time: Reading 1-1 Burnley
With 30 more minutes to play, both teams made substitutions to bring on some fresh legs. Tyler Sackey came on for Reading, and he was involved straight away, firing a shot just wide of the post. Wing, full of confidence after his earlier goal, tried another long-range effort, but this one flew over the bar.
Burnley’s Zian Flemming, who had been introduced late on, started to make a difference. He had a free header from 12 yards out but directed it straight at Button. Then, in the 100th minute, Flemming finally broke Reading’s resistance. He found space inside the box and coolly slotted the ball past Button to put Burnley 2-1 up.
Reading kept pushing, and right before the end of the first half of extra time, they nearly equalised. Sackey did brilliantly to beat his man and deliver a cross into the box. Knibbs met it with a powerful shot, but Hladky was equal to it, diving low to make the save.
Half-Time in Extra Time: Reading 1-2 Burnley
In the second half of extra time, Reading gave it everything they had. There were more shouts for a penalty when Knibbs went down inside the box, but once again, the referee wasn’t interested. With 12 minutes remaining, Burnley killed the game off. Flemming grabbed his second of the match, finishing from close range to make it 3-1.
Despite Reading’s best efforts, there was no way back. Burnley’s experience showed as they saw out the game comfortably. It was a brave performance from the Royals, who had pushed the Championship side all the way, but in the end, it just wasn’t to be.
Full-Time in Extra Time: Reading 1-3 Burnley
It was a tough result to take, but Reading can be proud of their effort. They gave one of the best teams in the Championship a real scare and showed plenty of heart. On another day, things might have gone differently. For now, though, the focus turns back to the league, where they’ll be hoping to build on this spirited performance.
Overall Reading played well against a Championship team sitting 2nd in the table. On another day, with a few decisions going for the Royals, the story would have been very different. As the old cliché goes, at least the boys can now focus on the league. The first target is to get to the much talk about 50 points, and then to build on that with hope of keeping their promotion play off hopes alive.
Up the Ding!
