View From The Dolan: Cod Sera, Sera

11/03/2024 06:23 AM

Ben's take on Reading's first-round FA Cup win over the Cod Army: Fleetwood Town.

For the second successive game, I had to write this award-winning column from a stand that wasn't the Dolan. I mean, it's basically word fraud, isn't it? I quite looking forward to the day when I can actually sit in my seat again, which will probably be mid-December by this rate.

Anyway, the show (words) must go on. The visit of Fleetwood Mac (Town) meant I was turfed into the SJM Stand along with 2,000 other hardy souls. I have no idea what the actual attendance was, but there weren't many in there, put it that way.

I rocked up at around 2.20 and honestly, it took longer to get into the stadium through the turnstiles than the actual journey to the actual stadium in an actual car. The line to get in through the gate was longer than rugby fans queuing up at the end of a game to claim their £1 cup deposit back, having paid at least £9.90 for a pint of Guinness.

I don't like to moan, but if the stand was open anyway, why not make sure everyone who'd parted with their £15 (or £20 after 11am on the day of the game) was able to get into the ground in a timely, orderly, calmly and sensible fashion?

Once inside, it was evident that this would be a barren wasteland of non-FA Cup dreams, where hopes went to die and Wembley seemed like a long way away. For my part, I'm pretty fond of the cup itself and one of the positives of dropping into League One is having to start in round one of the overall competition.

Naysayers will say it's too many games, we don't have the players, it's November and we should be starting in January, but stuff them. Wild horses wouldn't have kept me away from this game and I was glad to be there, despite what I said earlier about not sitting in my seat and having to queue to get in.

Team-wise, it made sense. I was slightly concerned by Tyler Bindon playing, but as Sim said (I had to sit next to him), who else would go in that spot? Good point well made.

The first half was as to be expected. A good chance from Charlie Savage and then a charge-down (like the NFL!) from Chem Campbell were probably the best chances of a fairly even game.

Jayden Wareham was sniffing around the goalmouth like a hedgehog nosing at a discarded pumpkin, but couldn't convert. A shot from Tivonge Rushesha was spilled and the follow-up was smashed against the 'keeper by Wareham, meaning the half ended all square.

As I wandered down to the concourse to pass water, buy a coffee, Haribo and Coca Cola Zero (don't ask - a dreadful combo) I felt we had enough to get the win in regulation time. As I made my way back to my seat, I realised it was white. I don't think I've ever sat in a white seat and I made this point to Sim very clearly.

Me: I'm sat on a white seat.

Sim: OK.

Me: It's serious though.

Sim: Why?

Me: Because my seat is blue, normally.

Sim: OK.

Me: It's just weird, is all I'm saying. I don't think I've sat in a white seat, possibly ever.

Sim: OK.

Editor's note: That exchange wasn't as gripping as Ben made it out to be.

And that, as they say, was that. Sadly, the riveting conversation had to come to an end because the small ripple of medium claps around us meant the players were back out and it was time for more delicious FA Cup action.

Pretty early on in the half (I want to say three minutes after the restart), Savage knocked a free-kick into the danger zone and Bindon knocked it home. We had our snouts in front and felt good.

I felt the dynamic in midfield, with Elliott and Savage, was good. There was lots of interchange in terms of dropping back and moving forward between the two and it was working pretty well. You know Savage has the potential to get dangerous balls into the box from set pieces and it was a well worked goal overall.

From that point on, there was only one winner. David Button made some great saves to keep the visitors out and I was pleased for him. He seems like a good bloke and has had a rough time, but felt he did well with what he had to do.

At the other end, we were playing some decent soccer ball. A really well worked move involving most of the midfield and front three ended with Campbell spooning the ball over the ball. It should have been 2-0 at that point and, despite this move, I felt we were trying to be too clever in the final third when we should have been able to just bloody smash it in the bloody net.

An own goal followed to double our lead. I've no idea who scored it - I've seen three different players "given" the goal but honestly, I don't think anyone cared. At that point, a few people made their way to the exits as they knew the game was done.

The travelling Fleetwood fans did their best to rouse their team but there was no coming back: the Royals were in the hat for the next round, which, thankfully is on Sunday evening and not after The One Show which has, in my opinion, plummeted in quality over the last few years.

It's tricky to pick out a chap of the match. Louie Holzman was good, as were Wareham and Savage. I liked Shay Spencer in that holding role and Rushesha at left-back.

What was good to hear after the game was that Ruben Selles said he doesn't pick the young players for the sake of it; they've earned the right to play. Another game in this competition gives them another chance to do that and, ultimately, that bodes well for the future in terms of these younger players developing with us.

There are a few teams you'd look at for away games (hello Swindon Town!) but another home game would be good, given the confidence and the form we have there.

All in all, a pleasing afternoon's work that leads us nicely into another cup game against Cheltenham Town on Tuesday.

Until next time.