Jack Stevens: 6
Barely had anything to do all evening, not being called into a single difficult save, only facing two shots on target. I’m not really sure if that should work out to a 5/10 or 6/10, but let’s be generous and round his score up.
Andy Yiadom: 7
A really strong return to first-team action for Yiadom, who got the first 45 minutes in what was presumably a pre-planned approach from Noel Hunt. The former skipper was a threat going forwards down the right, looking confident and getting into dangerous positions a number
of times, just lacking the final ball.
Had one effort himself when he managed to get the ball onto his left foot inside the area. Didn’t trouble the ‘keeper with his finish.
Jacob Borgnis: 6
Similar context to Stevens in that little of difficulty came the central defenders’ way, but Borgnis did well with what he had to deal with. Looked a tad more assured than his partner, for me, and did enough at the back post with Elliott’s deep free-kick delivery to get it back across for Patton to finish.
Michael Stickland: 6
No major worries but he could have been better in his distribution – somewhat important for a game in which Reading had a lot of the ball and needed to use it well. To be fair, he was again playing on an unfamiliar side (typically being the right centre-back than the left-sided one as tonight).
John Ryan: 7
Class throughout the game all round and gets my vote for man of the match due to him carrying that performance into the second half when a) Yiadom wasn’t on the pitch, b) Reading were generally poor. Ryan looked confident in possession, got forward well in support of Lane/Kyerewaa and put in a number of good crosses.
Tivonge Rushesha: 5
Neat and tidy, but this wasn’t really a game for Rushesha. MK Dons’ deep block meant his energy out of possession was less effective (so fewer opportunities for turnovers), and we could have done with more creativity out of him or someone else in his spot. Withdrawn in the second half in an attacking change.
Shay Spencer: 6
Playing a bit deeper than Rushesha in the double pivot, Spencer moved the ball nicely and effectively. He’s not an expansive passer in the mould of Lewis Wing, which perhaps held him back a little bit, but he’s sensible and efficient with the ball. Also taken off in the second half.
Jeremiah Okine-Peters: 4
Unable to repeat his goalscoring performance last week, never really making much of an impact on this game. Okine-Peters had one opportunity to get in on goal in the first half but the Dons defenders were able to get back in time to take the ball off him. Perhaps a tad harsh to give him a 4/10, but I can’t
Ben Elliott: 5
Brighter than Reading’s other attacking players, but still not that great overall, generally lacking space to work in as a number 10 when Reading were trying to unpick a low block. Hunt rectified that somewhat in the second half when bringing Elliott into the double pivot when Spencer and Rushesha went off.
Elliott went close with the last kick of the first half when he forced a save from outside the area, and should have buried a low cross from Kyerewaa in the second. Also put in the deep free-kick delivery from the right wing which ultimately found its way into the net, via Borgnis and then Patton.
Paddy Lane: 4
Got 45 minutes before being replaced, and didn’t do much in that time, with most of Reading’s attacks going down the other side through Yiadom. Added little, bar a long-range shot that was well off target.
Kelvin Ehibhatiomhan: 4
Simply did not impact the game. Reading couldn’t play off him as a target man, get him in behind or create chances for him, and I can’t remember him doing anything of note bar giving away a couple of fouls in the first half.
Brought into the 10 role in the second half, which would be worth sticking with as an idea if Kamari Doyle weren’t already a shoe-in for that spot, and taken off for Philip Duah very late on.
Subs
Ashqar Ahmed: 6
Looked to get forward when he could down the right, but without the same effect as Yiadom (who he replaced at the interval) or Ryan.
Daniel Kyerewaa: 5
Lively, energetic and a willing worker on the left wing, but without the end product. That was with the exception of one moment when he fortuitously kept the ball in play (it bounced off the corner flag) and he set up Elliott in the middle with a low cross… which the playmaker put over the bar.
Tyler Sackey, Sean Patton and Philip Duah: N/A
All came on too late to get a grade, but it was great to see the second of them open their account to win the game. A bit scrappy, heading home from a set piece (and it may be credited to Okine-Peters), but who cares?
Average: 5.46/10
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