Brighton’s unbeaten record lives on. The league leaders might have considered this two points dropped though, after an error from David Stockdale allowed Matej Vydra to equalise 12 minutes from time, cancelling out Jamie Murphy’s opener and ensuring Reading remain within five points of the automatic promotion places.
It would be unfair to draw any definitive conclusions from an entertaining battle that really sprung to life when Murphy found the net from close-range six minutes into the second half. Both teams look well equipped to sustain their challenges near the top and ultimately Brighton remain the only team across the four leagues yet to suffer a loss. The Brighton manager, Chris Hughton, thought it was the correct result but remains eager to play down his team’s run, saying he is just pleased they “have been competitive”.
“Overall as the away team I think the draw was a fair result,” Hughton said. “There hasn’t been a comfortable game, we’ve had to fight and scrap for all the points. That’s the league for you, every game is a challenge.”
Displaying all the confidence that is accrued with such impressive form, Brighton enjoyed a lot of possession but, met by a Reading defence desperate to atone for shipping four at Fulham a week earlier, the visitors struggled to turn that dominance into fruitful attempts. They managed only two on target throughout, leaving Reading’s manager, Steve Clarke, pleased. “Being 1-0 down going into the last 15 minutes it becomes a very good point against a decent team,” he said. “It showed great character from us, the response was really good.”
The hosts looked more likely to break the deadlock throughout the opening half of what could easily have been billed as the division’s most in-form team versus the most in-form player, the Royals’ Nick Blackman, in irresistible form, searching for his 10th goal of the campaign.
Oliver Norwood, an increasingly dominant force in Reading’s midfield, was denied by a piece of fine goalkeeping from Stockdale 12 minutes in, turning a dipping free-kick away. Garath McCleary scooped over despite having time and space after Andrew Taylor picked him out from the left, while Blackman headed wide under pressure having been set up by some trickery from Vydra.
Brighton were not too perturbed and established a spell of superiority half an hour in. Sam Baldock was denied from 25 yards, Taylor getting in the way of a stinging drive to deflect the ball over. From the ensuing corner Tomer Hemed, Brighton’s top scorer with five, forced Al-Habsi into his first meaningful piece of action, palming the striker’s close range header over his bar.
Reading spurned another pair of decent opportunities nearing the break. Danny Williams skied on 41 minutes and Blackman repeated the trick in the final act of the opening 45. And they were punished for that profligacy courtesy of Murphy in the 51st minute. Soaking up some pressure Albion broke rapidly on the right and Hemed sent a low cross in behind the Reading centre-halves, Paul McShane and Michael Hector. Murphy tucked in unnoticed from his station on the left flank and clinically slotted home first time from six yards.
The home team should have been level approaching the 70th minute after breaking with four on three. Blackman and Sa exchanged passes before the ball ended up with Vydra, who took the wrong option by attempting to give it back to Blackman instead of shooting. He only had Stockdale to beat but his brief hesitation gave the keeper time to rush out and save.
Lucas Piazon, with a warrant out for his arrest in Canada because of an alleged sexual assault, was brought on along with Paolo Hurtado, but it was Vydra who regained parity aided by Stockdale’s misjudgment. Blackman shot from range, Stockdale should have smothered but the ball bounced off him and Vydra prodded home to claim his first goal for the club. “You’re disappointed with every goal, there are always phases you can pick out,” Hughton added. “David has been excellent and we needed him today.”
Reading pushed for what would have been a decent scalp and they came close more than once. A Blackman punt sailed over, Williams had a shot deflected wide and McShane was denied from the resulting corner. They are now three games without a win but Clarke remains positive. “If you go back to the summer I’d be happy with that,” he said.
