Reading 1-3 Stockport County: Player Ratings

01/18/2025 02:34 PM

A performance to forget as the Royals limp to a comfortable defeat at the hands of Stockport.

Joel Pereira: 5

I wouldn't really fault him for any of the goals, with Pereira needing more help than he got from a very porous defence. The second was particularly frustrating, with Callum Connolly given acres of space to get a quality header past Pereira from a free-kick delivery.

Made some decent stops otherwise, such as a one-on-one from Diamond in the second half. Not great distribution, with the worst moment Pereira giving the ball away at the back in the first half - fortunately not capitalised on.

Tivonge Rushesha: 4

Didn't track his man for the opening goal, allowing the corner to be flicked on at the near post without proper pressure being applied. Had to be more switched on there.

Otherwise not all that convincing defensively although he did improve as the game went on. Added a bit of attacking impetus from right-back in a flat first half - more so than most others in defence - but not enough. Withdrawn on the hour mark for Michael Craig.

Harlee Dean: 6

No major worries defensively for most of the game, with Dean making an important block at 0-2 after Pereira gave the ball away. Needed to be quicker to the ball for the visitors' third though, but was beaten by Kyle Wootton, allowing Jack Diamond in on goal.

This was, unfortunately, a game when Dean's inability to progress the ball upfield well really hurt Reading. He's less good technically and less brave in driving upfield than Amadou Mbengue, with the visitors allowing him to have plenty of the ball in the knowledge that he couldn't do much with it. Got braver in possession after the break though and tried to put Reading on the front foot more.

Tyler Bindon: 6

Not quite as commanding as usual, although he was on hand for some important interventions at the back, clearing the danger when the visitors were through on goal once in each half.

Abraham Kanu: 4

Unconvincing defensively again, bar a good challenge on Isaac Olaofe early on, and sloppy too. Again not brave enough in possession, too often opting to go backwards rather than looking to get the ball upfield. Taken off for Dorsett at the break.

Harvey Knibbs: 4

Just not in the game. Won the ball back a few times but, in a match that requires creativity in the middle and doesn't give Knibbs a lot of opportunities to press and harry, he doesn't add a lot. Came close to scoring late on when a corner fell for him, but his powerful shot went straight into a crowd of bodies and was blocked.

Lewis Wing: 4

Marked out of the game so didn't make much of an impact in open play, and had some uncharacteristically poor set-pieces too, putting in two free-kicks from a deep area in the second half that didn't beat the first man.

Charlie Savage: 5

Generally not all that more effective than the other two midfielders, but did provide Reading's moment of creativity in the game when he whipped in the free-kick from which Sam Smith pulled a goal back. Also curled in a dangerous corner late on that prompted some pinball in the area.

Got himself into the book cheaply soon after the break. The Stockport physio was taking an age to get off the pitch, understandably frustrating everyone, but Savage let his emotions get the better of him and shoved the physio towards the touchline in full view of the referee. I couldn't fault Savage's frustration (it's not like the referee was doing much to force the physio off and get the game restarted), but he had to keep his cool there and avoid a cheap booking.

Chem Campbell: 4

A quiet afternoon on his return from injury, not given a lot to work with but not making much of an impact anyway. Put a great chance wide in the second half from Ehibhatiomhan's pull-back. Withdrawn for Kelvin Abrefa.

Sam Smith: 5

Really nice finish for 1-2, slamming home Savage's free-kick, but otherwise was working off scraps and couldn't add much up front.

Andre Garcia: 4

A couple of nice touches here and there, but as with the other two attackers... you guessed it... didn't have a lot to work with. Booked in the first half for apparently pushing a Stockport player into the hoardings. I haven't seen the incident back, but there didn't appear to be a lot in it in real time.

Subs

Jeriel Dorsett: 4

Added more going forwards than Kanu in the second half, but looked rusty after his return from injury and too sloppy. Lost the ball too easily in the build-up to Stockport's third and should have been tracking the run of Wootton afterwards, but got caught going towards the ball.

Michael Craig: 5

Got the last half an hour at right-back and couldn't really make much of an impact, although the game was pretty flat for most of the time he was on the pitch. Needed to be charging back towards his own goal for the third, but jogged and was in the end nowhere near goalscorer Diamond.

Kelvin Ehibhatiomhan: 5

A bit sloppy really in his half an hour on the pitch, but did contribute one of Reading's best moments of creativity when he drove to the byline and pulled the ball back for Campbell, who should have done better with the finish.

Kelvin Abrefa: 5

Given 13 minutes to impact the game from the right wing when the match was already pretty much done, and unsurprisingly couldn't add much.

Average: 4.6/10

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