The Tanner Report: Fulham 1 Reading 1

Two factors prevented Fulham from winning this play off tie: the tenacity of Reading, though their tactics were often spoiling, and the poor refereeing of Stuart Attwell. Having been thrashed 5-0 at Fulham in the league and losing 6 games by margins of 3 or more, Reading’s tactics were clear from the start: to disrupt Fulham’s rhythm, to time waste and to engage in niggardly fouls like shirt pulling. It’s up to the referee to impose himself early, he is being tested by Reading as to the extent they can engage these tactics. An early booking can be a marker but referee Attwell failed to punish illegal challenges. Reading’s skipper Macshane clattered into the back of Johansen, seemed clearly to handball and then unpunished by either charged forward to find Jordan Obita who scored with a cross shot.

It was Macshane who finally got a red card for kicking MacDonald. Watching the incident several times again on the sky video it was a rash and nasty challenge but one made in a melee and perhaps not with intent. Not that I felt sorry for MacShane or Reading, they had finally got their just deserts. Kebano came on for a largely ineffective Chris Martin and added pep and pace up front. However the equaliser came from Scott Thomas, a full back whose surging runs usually in the second half are such a feature of our play. Reading keeper Al Habsi could only parry his fierce cross and Tom Cairney headed home the equaliser. Surprisingly it was Cyriac who came on for Aluko not Ryan Sesegnon whose pace and scoring ability would surely have troubled Reading more.

So Fulham are still without a play off victory in 5 attempts but must be hoping that Reading cannot play the same tactics at home and that our away from will carry us over the line next Tuesday.