Reading 1-0 Burnley: Royals rule despite block-of-the-season contender (watch it here!)
Published 22:26 17/02/12 By MirrorFootball
Jason Roberts fired Reading up to third in the table – in a match that will be remembered for a mind-boggling piece of defending from Burnley’s Ben Mee.
Noel Hunt looked certain to score for Reading during a goalmouth scramble after keeper Lee Grant fumbled Ian Harte’s free-kick.
But Mee, already on the floor, bravely stuck his head behind the ball and, risking a serious head injury, took the full impact at point-blank range to divert the ball over.
It was an astonishing act of bravery, putting his head in where it hurts, just inches from Hunt’s swinging boot.
It summed up the commitment of a typically combative Championship clash which Reading won thanks to Roberts’ 11th-minute strike.
Jobi McAnuff, returning after hernia surgery, beat his marker down the left flank before racing to the byline and pulling the ball back for Roberts to fire home.
Burnley pressed hard for an equaliser after the break, Adam Federici’s right boot preventing Charlie Austin – whose earlier header hit the woodwork – from finding the net.
Four minutes later the woodwork came to the hosts’ rescue again. This time Jay Rodriguez was the unlucky party, as his header cannoned back off an upright.
With 19 minutes remaining, Reading’s Jem Karacan found Jimmy Kebe at the back post, and the Malian’s fine header drifted over Grant only for Kieran Trippier to nod clear on the goalline.
Reading manager Brian McDermott was delighted to see owner-to-be Anton Zingarevich in the crowd for the first time.
The Russian’s consortium, Thames Sport Investment, is set to complete a £40million takeover of the Berkshire club next month.
McDermott said: “He will have enjoyed the victory, that was the most important thing.
“Burnley were a decent team, there’s no doubt about that, so we have to be very pleased with that result.”
Burnley boss Eddie Howe said: “To come to a tough place like this and create chances like we did, we are disappointed to lose.”
