Reading finished off the festive season unbeaten after a goalless draw against Charlton Athletic at The Valley on Saturday afternoon. The result meant the Royals collected an impressive 10 points from a possible 12 during the Christmas period, solidifying their spot in the top six of the league table. Despite the freezing conditions, the Royals battled hard and earned a valuable point against a tough Charlton side.
FIRST HALF: PROMISING START BUT NO BREAKTHROUGH
The game kicked off with Reading taking the initiative. The players pressed high up the pitch from the start, forcing Charlton into their own half. In the opening few minutes, Reading looked sharp and determined to get an early goal. Charlton, meanwhile, focused on getting the ball wide and attempting crosses into the box, but Reading’s backline stayed solid, clearing any danger.
By the 10-minute mark, Reading began to turn up the pressure even more, winning two corners in quick succession. The second corner saw the ball recycled back out to Kelvin Abrefa, who whipped in a dangerous cross. The ball bounced around in the penalty area, causing chaos for Charlton’s defence, but unfortunately, it didn’t fall kindly for any of the Reading attackers.
The first real chance of the match came just a few minutes later. Harvey Knibbs, playing with great energy, latched onto another cross from Abrefa in the 14th minute. His quick shot was heading for goal, but a brave block from a Charlton defender prevented the opener.
Charlton’s first attempt at goal didn’t come until the 19th minute, when Thierry Smalls tried an ambitious long-range effort from around 35 yards. Joel Pereira, known as ‘El Gato’ for his cat-like reflexes, calmly watched the ball sail over the bar without needing to make a save.
At the halfway point of the first half, Reading had another promising moment. Amadou Mbengue, filling in as a full-back for the day, delivered a pinpoint cross into the box. Tyler Bindon managed to get on the end of it, but his effort lacked power and trickled just wide of the far post.
As the half drew to a close, Charlton’s Tyreece Campbell created a scare for the Reading defence. He managed to weave his way past Mbengue and Knibbs on the left wing before firing a right-footed shot towards goal. Although the shot looked like it might be heading wide, Pereira decided not to take any risks and pushed it out for a corner.
HALF-TIME SCORE: CHARLTON ATHLETIC 0-0 READING
SECOND HALF: BOTH SIDES PUSH FOR A WINNER
Reading came flying out of the blocks in the second half. Within 30 seconds of the restart, Knibbs and Sam Smith combined brilliantly to create the best chance of the game so far. Knibbs slipped a precise through ball to Smith, who found himself in on goal. Smith tried to lift the ball over the advancing Charlton goalkeeper Maynard-Brewer, but the keeper got a crucial touch to deflect it just wide.
Minutes later, Smith was involved again when he attempted a volley inside the box. His shot appeared to hit the arm of a Charlton defender, prompting strong appeals for a penalty from the Reading players. However, the referee was unmoved, waving play on despite the protests.
Charlton thought they had taken the lead shortly after when Tyreece Campbell’s deflected shot ended up in the back of the net. The home fans erupted in celebration, but the linesman’s flag went up, ruling the goal out for offside. Reading quickly tried to take advantage of the confusion by restarting play quickly, but the referee stopped them from doing so.
As the game reached the final quarter, Charlton began to pile on the pressure. Their skipper, Greg Docherty, fired a powerful volley through a crowd of players following a corner, but Pereira reacted superbly, not only making the save but also holding onto the ball.
Reading then had their hearts in their mouths when Charlton came close to scoring again. In the 70th minute, Pereira struggled to deal with a dangerous cross from Smalls. The ball fell to Miles Leaburn, who fired a shot towards goal, but Harlee Dean made a heroic goal-line clearance to keep the scores level.
Shortly after, Kelvin Abrefa was substituted after a solid performance, making way for Ashqar Ahmed. Despite the change, Reading continued to push forward, hoping to find a late winner.
Another penalty shout was turned down for Reading with 15 minutes to go. Smith’s shot struck the arm of Lloyd Jones inside the box, but once again, the referee waved away the appeals. This decision left the Reading bench visibly frustrated.
In the final stages of the game, Charlton nearly found a winner when Jones struck a fierce shot from inside the box. However, Pereira was well-positioned and made a comfortable save. Moments later, Tyreece Campbell broke free and looked certain to score, but a brilliant last-ditch tackle by Charlie Savage denied him, ensuring the Royals remained level.
With just 10 minutes left on the clock, Noel Hunt made another change, bringing on Jayden Wareham for the tireless Andre Garcia. Wareham added fresh energy to Reading’s attack but found it difficult to make an impact in the closing moments.
FULL-TIME SCORE: CHARLTON ATHLETIC 0-0 READING
FINAL THOUGHTS
Although neither side could find a breakthrough, this was a solid result for Reading, who showed great resilience in difficult conditions. The defence, especially Harlee Dean and Joel Pereira, was outstanding, keeping Charlton’s attack at bay throughout the match. Meanwhile, the likes of Knibbs and Smith worked tirelessly up front, but luck wasn’t on their side in front of goal.
This result means Reading have now gone unbeaten across their four festive fixtures, collecting 10 points out of a possible 12. While they may have hoped for more than a draw in this game, it’s another point on the board and a performance they can be proud of.
Up next, the Royals face another tough challenge as they look to continue their strong form and cement their place in the top six. For now, though, they can enjoy the satisfaction of ending the festive period unbeaten—a great way to start the new year!
Todays Squads
Charlton Athletic: Maynard-Brewer, Gillesphey, Mitchell, Jones, Coventry, Campbell, Berry, Docherty ©, Leaburn (Aneke 81′), Edwards, Small
Unused Subs: Mannion, Ahadme, Anderson, Edmonds-Green, Godden, Campbell
Reading: Pereira, Abrefa (Ahmed 71′), Dean, Knibbs, Savage, Smith, Bindon, Mbengue, Wing ©, Garcia (Wareham 85′), Kanu
Unused Subs: Button, Rushesha, Holzman, Sackey, Osho
Yellows: Mbengue (45′), Ahmed (79′)
