Joel Pereira: 6
Bailed out O’Connor with a fantastic save early on, getting his angles right to squeeze the shot, and diving down to his right well. Didn’t see much else in the first half, other than watching the post-bound
effort go by him.
Ended a quiet second half by dinking a lovely touch over the despairing leg of a pressing attacker, earning oles from the Royals faithful.
Andy Yiadom: 6
Provided experience in defence in a few loose-ball scenarios, cleaning things up nicely in the first half. Executed some nicely coached passing moves with Ritchie and Wing in the space on the outside of Burton’s box early in the second half.
Continued to get up the pitch more than Dorsett on the other side in the second half, finding himself with a few opportunities to cross. Took down Doyle’s looping ball to cross for Kyerewaa in the box in the 75th minute.
Finley Burns: 7
Sprayed some nice passes early on, including the line-breaker that got Reading on the road to Marriott’s opener. Slid in really well to clear a really dangerous ball into the box from Burton, hooking the aerial through ball to his defensive partner.
Stretched to take a ball over the top away from the striker at the last moment when he was the last man in the 74th minute. Provided a number of good clearances throughout and wasn’t at the level he was at against the Posh, but didn’t need to be against a weaker attack.
Paudie O’Connor: 7
Has moved over to the left side of defence since Burns replaced Derrick Williams as his defensive partner. Switched off early on and got caught in a foot race with a man a yard in behind him, allowing a clean shot on Pereira.
Made up for it a few minutes later, sliding in at the last second to block a dangerous cross from entering the box. Did well to clear out a dangerous ball from Burton just after the hour mark when Burns had made the initial interception.
Good aerially as he always is, getting his head to a set of searching crosses from Burton to kill any chance of a second half comeback.
Jeriel Dorsett: 6
Dribbled out of defence well in the 15th minute, turning his man and earning a free-kick. Arrived on a set piece to redirect it across the net, but couldn’t get it around the ‘keeper.
Fantastic when one-on-one as he always is, and marshalled his side well with Dan Kyerewaa, allowing very few attackers to advance down his side.
Lewis Wing: 7
Started really well, stringing together some really neat passes, including a delightful slice across the grain of play that put Yiadom in behind in the box.
Found Ritchie in space on the wing in the buildup to Marriott’s goal. Came out in the second half with intent, talking Reading through some nice passing moves in Burton’s half.
Put together a scrapbook of gorgeous long balls, and often went looking for Kyerewaa early in buildup, seeking to get him one-on-one. Put the winger in behind just before the half time whistle when it looked like there was nothing on in settled possession, almost finding Reading a goal.
Liam Fraser: 6
Replaced Savage into the lineup and played close to Wing in the double pivot. Sat alongside the captain in possession, but jumped up into a pressing line with Kyerewaa and Ritchie when the Royals went looking for the ball.
Succeeded more in hurrying Burton than retrieving the ball but was really disciplined both on and off the ball, not putting his teammates in trouble.
Mopped up a sloppy piece of defensive play for Reading in the 69th minute, clearing a path for Pereira to claim with his big frame. Produced a fantastic sequence of passes through the middle late in the game, earning Reading a free-kick by getting his frame across an arriving defender.
Kamari Doyle: 7
Able to find the ball in some good pockets of space and get into the box in the early stages. Created Kyerewaa’s goal from one such trip deep into the Burton box, taking it to the byline and seeing his cutback deflected into Kyerewaa’s path.
Continued to interact well with both Ritchie and Kyerewaa in the second half, providing overlapping and underlapping runs as targets of distraction to allow time on the ball.
Got into the box just before his withdrawal in a move that almost led to another goal for Kyerewaa and overall took around a quarter of his total touches in Burton’s area.
Matt Ritchie: 6
Calm on the ball in the early stages, and helped Reading to break lines by drifting centrally. Did a great job of shifting the tempo at times, including when he ghosted into midfield to receive from Burns in the buildup to Reading’s opener. Provided the curling cross for Marriott to redirect into the net at the end of the same move.
Withdrawn in the second half as Reading looked to freshen up their frontline.
Daniel Kyerewaa: 7
Had an early chance to spring Doyle in behind the lines but put his through ball just behind the attacking midfielder. Should have scored moments later when he arrived at the back post, but blasted the ball over the top when it would have been easier to score.
Slipped a fantastic pass through to Marriott, cutting through two defenders to give Marriott a chance to shoot in the 32nd minute.
Picked up his fourth goal of the season, streaking into the box to support Doyle as he had done numerous times before in the half, and this time getting his reward as he neatly volleyed it into a wide-open net.
Got in behind Burton right at the end of the half with a chance to go one-on-one with the keeper, but dallied a little too long and let the defender get back to block.
Started the second half with intent, chasing a defender deep into his own half and winning the ball, setting Reading up for an attack. Won another ball in Burton’s third 10 minutes later. Was performing similar duties just outside his own box as late as the 82nd minute, rushing back to support Dorsett.
Again found room for a shot in the box in the closing stages, forcing a great block out of the Burton defence. Will face stiffer defences, but this was a good example of what Kyerewaa can do.
Jack Marriott: 7
Did well in the first half, helping to lead the Reading press as well as his providing his now almost customary goal. Picked up his eighth of the season with a fantastic header, arriving on Ritchie’s cross and glancing it into the side netting. A brilliant finish from Marriott leaving the keeper with no chance.
Continued to run gamely, and produced a fantastic first touch to take a Kyerewaa through ball away from a defender in the 31st minute, producing a good finish that needed a great save from the ‘keeper.
Withdrawn midway through the second half.
Subs
Kelvin Ehibhatiomhan: 6
Took his first shot in the 79th minute, just a little too far wide to be dangerous, and sliced it low beyond the post. Scrapped well in injury time to win Reading a corner and bleed more time off the clock.
Charlie Savage: 6
Given a rest after his collision with the board last time out. Brought on in the second half in a more advanced position, replacing Kamari Doyle. Provided good energy that was crucial to disrupting Burton’s attempts to build attacks late in the game and some quick passes.
Mamadi Camara: 6
Replaced Ritchie as Reading looked to close the game out. Produced a good interception for Reading as the game entered the final 10 minutes. Whipped a nice half volley just over the cross bar when mopping up after a corner.
Earned his side a free-kick and time to rest when Burton had enjoyed possession in Reading’s half for a consistent few minutes late in the game.
Ashqar Ahmed: N/A
Came on after 90 minutes for Yiadom, making his first appearance under Leam Richardson.
Average: 6.42/10
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