Cheltenham Town 1-0 Reading: Player Ratings

11/05/2024 04:58 PM

Ross' grades from a narrow away defeat for a very young Royals side in the EFL Trophy.

David Button: 5

Put some good diagonal long balls down the field, including one well taken down by Osho in the opening minutes. Tried some more interesting ones as the half went on, picking one great low ball to Tuma but almost getting punished shortly later.

Button scuffed a low clearance out in Barough's direction but way underhit it to the Robins player, and almost found himself chipped when miles out of his goal.

Made a great save to start the final quarter of the game, keeping the scores level going into the late stages, but couldn't get across his goal fast enough to keep out the goal when Cheltenham had space to shoot on the edge of the box.

Ashqar Ahmed: 6

Competed well in the early stages, winning a few balls back down his right-hand side before getting high to assist Reading's early attacks.

Just before the 15th minute he recovered very well to cleanly nick the ball away from an attacker rushing into the box.

Found himself central at one point as Reading's full-backs often do, and then drove forward onto a loose ball well, earning Reading a dangerous free-kick just after the hour mark.

Michael Stickland: 5

Always talking on the field and trying to lead his defensive partners.

A little less physically sure than his partner Holzman, and slipped in a bad spot before one Cheltenham shot late in the first half. Occasionally caught ball-watching when he had to defend along the ground but coped relatively well in the air.

Louie Holzman: 6

Got up well to head away an early corner as Cheltenham loaded up the box with crosses and generally stood up pretty well to his opposition when defending one-on-one.

More physically adept than Stickland today and won the ball back a few times on the ground with his aggressive challenges.

Tivonge Rushesha: 6

Played at left-back tonight on the opposite side to his usual full-back spot, just further showing his versatility. Gave away a dangerous set-piece early on when his man had his back turned against the sideline and nowhere to go and was generally quiet in the first half.

Came into the game more in the early stages of the second half and combined nicely with Osho a few times. Got the final shot of the game but couldn't find the top corner with his volley.

Tyler Sackey: 5

A little casual with the ball at his feet in central spaces, which led to him losing possession sloppily a few times. Helped Reading win the ball back several times in a scrappy game but didn't have the creativity needed tonight to consistently find his forwards.

Withdrawn a little before the hour mark.

Shay Spencer: 6

Played as the deepest of the midfield three tonight and generally shielded the ball well when he had it, winning a few free-kicks with Cheltenham players breathing down his neck. Showed that calmness though: at one point playing so calmly at the back he nutmegged an onrushing attacker when he was the last man back at a corner.

Found Akande on the right wing well in the second half, and became more creative as space opened up in the second half.

Joe Barough: 5

Helped Reading keep things moving with a few intelligent touches in midfield in the opening 20 minutes. Showed a decent understanding of where to find space but also struggled to create rather than just retain possession with the ball.

Given chances to shoot from set pieces but couldn't find a shot on target from the opportunities tonight. Withdrawn towards the end.

Emmanuel Osho: 6

Made himself room for a shot well early in the game when he took down a ball from Button before approaching the box diagonally.

Quiet for large stretches of the first half but reacted first to get onto one searching ball forward.

Showed quick feet when the ball did find him, able to skip around a player, but often preferred to retain possession than try anything too risky, which slowed Reading down a few times.

Basil Tuma: 5

Moved well for goal kicks when he wasn't getting the ball often from the midfield in the opening half hour. Linked up with one that came across the ground from Button (whether intentionally or not on the GK's part)

Slipped into the box by Akande late in the first half and perhaps didn't realise quite how good of a position he was in to shoot, instead choosing to try to square it. Had another close-range chance in the second half following an overhead kick from Wellens.

As most Reading strikers seem to in the current system, he really struggled to get on the ball much and, while he can certainly create space with his runs, he feels a little wasted at centre-forward in this system.

Adrian Akande: 6

A little sloppy with his touches in the first half, putting the ball out of play a couple of times or ending up putting a player between himself and the ball.

Made one lovely run from his wing to the outside of the box towards the end of the half, slipping Tuma through for a chance to shoot.

Much more influential in the second half. Had an all-action start, first getting himself booked for a stiff challenge that drew the anger of the Cheltenham players. Shortly after he got himself one-on-one but couldn't get it around the well spread 'keeper.

Drove a fierce cross into the near post just before the hour mark. Sprinted all the way back down the field after a Cheltenham counter attack to stick a foot out and save Ahmed's blushes.

Subs

Charlie Wellens: 6

Replaced Sackey and immediately got involved in a goalmouth scramble where he attempted a bicycle kick, not quite getting the connection he wanted. Still, quite the exciting way to enter the field.

Put a good free-kick around the wall and forced the goalkeeper into a decent save when his shot dropped just before the goal line.

In terms of a rating, he could've been a 5 or 7 so let's settle for a 6. Wellens wants to be involved in everything going on around him on the pitch. This is to his credit when he nips in ahead of the opposition, but slightly to his detriment when he gets in his teammates' way.

Boyd Beacroft: 5

Was the first to meet and head away a set piece into the box shortly after Cheltenham's opener, showing good physical control and timing for a debutant.

Jeremiah Okine Peters: 5

Didn't have much time to make an impact in the game and couldn't get on the ball much.

Jay Senga: 6

Won the ball back well in the box and then played his midfield partners through in the centre of the pitch in his best moment after coming on.

Average: 5.53/10

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