Jack Stevens: 6
An erratic but mostly effective performance. Had a shaky moment early on when he palmed a cross back down into a danger zone, but was able to clean it up.
Made a really great save when Doncaster Rovers
worked the ball into Reading’s box just before the break, sliding down to stop the ball from travelling underneath him.
Made himself huge in the 51st minute, spreading his arms wide and seeing the cross range shot crash off him. Got incredibly lucky in the 66th minute when he came flying out of his box and didn’t win possession, seeing it scrambled away by his defence.
Dove to his right really well when Matty Jacob deflected it on goal late in the game, palming it around the post.
Kelvin Abrefa: 6
Opened the second half well, using his pace to spring back and win the ball from behind when Doncaster looked to get in on the break.
Made a fantastic sliding tackle shortly before Doncaster’s opener, sliding in cleanly in the box to win it away in a dangerous position. Withdrawn an hour in, as per usual, for Andy Yiadom.
Paudie O’Connor: 5
Strong with the savvy Billy Sharp in the early stages, winning nearly everything in the air and manhandling the striker. Struggled more though with Doncaster’s willingness to play the ball along the deck.
Not as much of a factor at set-plays today, and was a little wasteful with the few opportunities he had higher up the pitch.
Can get beaten in a foot race, and needs coverage there when he’s dealing with a fast and strong striker. Struggled a little with the late substitute from Doncaster.
Derrick Williams: 6
Valuable for Reading today with him being pacier than his centre-back partner, and smart about jumping forwards to attempt an intervention.
Swung the ball around and out to Lane and Jacob well a few times. Managed to clear the second shot off the line in the melee that led to Doncaster’s goal.
Matty Jacob: 6
Made some good tackles, with one of the best on the pacey Molyneux coming at the beginning of the second period. Took a big knock in his back shortly after that when competing for a ball.
Deflected the ball into the path of his own net in the last 10 minutes, needing a good save from Stevens. Followed that up by strongly heading away the resulting corner.
Failed to cut out a cross in the 24th minute, leading to a Doncaster corner, and mis-controlled the ball out of play when he had a chance to cross late in the first half, but did a lot of good work pushing the ball forwards for Reading down the wing.
Lewis Wing: 6
Smashed the ball in from outside of the box in the 39th minute, but found a good save from the ‘keeper.
Timed his interventions well today and made some great interceptions in some of Reading’s better periods on the ball. Indeed, Wing really showed his value to the team at times today and was Reading’s best midfielder on the day.
Like Savage, Wing benefitted when Kyerewaa entered the game, with the substitute drifting into spaces between the lines for Wing to hit often in the final third, both on the ground and in the air.
Ben Elliott: 5
Smashed an effort from long distance in the 33rd minute, curving it in and out to give the ‘keeper nightmares but just missing the post. Arrived in the middle of the park and laid the ball off well for Wing to hit midway through the first.
Struggled with his out-of-possession work in much of the first half, with Doncaster’s passing buildup often taking Elliott out of the play too easily.
Opened the second half with a nice wiggle to find space on the edge of the box but scuffed his shot into the defence. Took a nasty contact injury to his hamstring just before the hour mark and had to be withdrawn.
Charlie Savage: 6
Stung a shot in that almost caught out the Doncaster goalkeeper, bouncing right in front of the line.
Booked for a lunge in the middle of the park, just getting behind the player with his slide. Showing a better understanding of when that kind of challenge is and isn’t needed vs previous seasons though.
Punched a really nice ball through the lines to Doyle, forming better chemistry with the substitute than the starting Elliott. Looped a nice shot in late in injury time, but couldn’t control the curve enough to find the side netting.
Daniel Kyerewaa: 6
Came close to slipping Elliott into the box early in the game. Produced a great spin and turn in the Doncaster box in the 40th to get a shot away, rifling it wide of the near post.
Nipped into the box in the 71st minute from Yiadom’s header, knocking his low shot hard, but too close to the ‘keeper.
Showed some nice footwork to beat a man and cut inside late in the game but had to be withdrawn shortly after.
Kelvin Ehibhatiomhan: 5
Reading struggled to get their long striker on the ball in the first half, hoofing it up to him often but without a whole lot of accuracy. Ehibhatiomhan competed gamely and ran well enough but had a frustrating first half just a few steps behind the Doncaster buildup.
Arrived on his best chance of the day at the near post in the 72nd minute, darting ahead of his marker to meet Lane’s pass, and barely missing.
Paddy Lane: 7
Worked really hard, especially in his own half, with Kyerewaa on the other side often being the man allowed to go further forwards in the press. Won the ball and then turned down the field several times in the second half.
Provided a threat when he got on the ball as well, dribbling it down the field well, especially when sticking to the touchline and looking for space to cross.
Stayed a threat in the second half, showing a fantastic turn of pace a few times to steal inside and create a chance.
Subs
Kamari Doyle: 6
Had a tricky introduction, failing to cut out the cross that led to Doncaster’s opener, though he did make pressure. Almost slipped Kyerewaa through in the box shortly after but couldn’t find the seam.
Got into the space between the lines to find the space for his opener. Was lucky with the ‘keeper’s weak effort, but put enough curl on the ball to make it difficult.
Probably Reading’s best player at finding space in between the lines at the moment, especially in the opposition half and helped mightily in Reading’s best periods of the day.
Andy Yiadom: 6
Has returned to the team full of intent, and wants to get forwards on the ball. Tried to get around the full-back early on in the box but overran it out of play. Put in a pair of dangerous crosses as Reading pushed after Doncaster’s opening goal.
Jeriel Dorsett: N/A
Introduced late when O’Connor’s day had ended. Not required for much outside of a long throw into the box.
Basil Tuma: N/A
Brought on with Mark O’Mahony after the fourth official’s board had already gone up to add on six minutes after the 90, and had precious little time to intervene in the result. Made one nice advance on the box but couldn’t find a creative-enough cross.
Mark O’Mahony: N/A
Thrown on late (very late) as a target man for long balls from deep. Ended the game in a bizarre rugby scrum with a defender.
Average: 5.84/10
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