After the London trip that we dare not speak about, it was back to the SCL for what felt like an eternity, which somehow always seems to be the case until we’re home back-to-back.
What unfolded was a match
that’s oddly difficult to categorise. There were genuinely encouraging spells. There were the familiar frustrations that linger like a bad smell. And there were plenty of shoulda‑woulda‑coulda moments sprinkled throughout. Not bad, not outstanding – just somewhere in the middle. And a draw feels like the fairest reflection of that.
Games like this always get me thinking about the bigger picture. Where does this season actually end for us? And honestly, performances like this point me toward the same conclusion every time: somewhere in the middle.
League One is chock full of sides like Stockport County and Barnsley: strong, established outfits with one or two players capable of flipping a match on its head. And we’re no different. We have Lewis Wing and Jack Marriott, players who can conjure moments of brilliance out of pockets of dust.
But we also have those moments at the back when the light bulb flickers, goes out, and suddenly we’ve conceded two goals. Barnsley’s first came from Andy Yiadom failing to deal with Reyes Cleary, leaving David McGoldrick to tap home unopposed. Their second saw Kelvin Ehibhatiomhan switch off, the shot deflecting off Jeriel Dorsett and nestling into the corner.
Football is a game of errors, of course. Most goals aren’t pure artistry – they’re the product of decisions, indecision or no decision at all. Maybe this is just League One players making standard League One mistakes. Who knows? But we do seem to specialise in making more than our fair share.
On a more positive note
Still, enough of that. Let’s talk about the good stuff.
Haydon Roberts, what a breath of fresh air he is. After so long without a recognised left‑back, it’s hard to remember who the last good one even was (the consensus seems to be Omar Richards). Roberts lit up the first half with intelligent passing, taking up brave advanced positions and, of course, scoring a fine debut goal. What more could you want?
He faded a little after the break, but by his own admission he’s not fully match‑fit yet. Even so, just seeing someone comfortable in the role, willing to go forward, willing to pop up in the box, was refreshing. It gave us balance. It gave us shape. It gave us something we’ve been missing for far too long.
Jeriel Dorsett, shifted inside to centre‑half, looked more at home too. Not flawless, still prone to hesitation, but considering he hasn’t played there in ages, he deserves some slack.
Another encouraging addition. Ryan Nyambe arrived with a reputation as a defensive full‑back, but his late surging run set up Marriott’s equaliser beautifully. From the small sample size of Roberts and Nyambe, there’s plenty to feel positive about. Roberts brings clarity and natural balance; Nyambe brings experience, power and conviction.
When I think about where this squad has come from, it’s clear we’ve travelled a long way – and still have a long way left. Reading are still in recovery, on and off the pitch. We’re not playoff material yet, and that’s fine. Expecting everything to click in one season is very much wishful thinking. It might be a poor division, but our starting position was not one of power.
Next season? We must be better. We must be able to genuinely challenge.
There are still issues to resolve – the midfield being the biggest, in my view – and it’s unrealistic to think we can fix everything overnight. This match reinforced that. We’re capable of better, but equally capable of worse.
All very “mid”, as the younger folk would say, and I’m fine with it.
