Bore draw as Royals fail to score again

Reading gave it a good go against Preston but couldn't find a way through a well-organised North End defence. If you leave aside the own goal against Wolves it's the third match in a row that we have failed to find the net, but on the plus side of course we haven't conceded either. Preston lined up with one of the fattest teams I have ever seen in a game at this level. I don't want to reinforce any stereotypes here, but they sure do eat a  lot of pies. Parkin is a mighty lump of a lad, and missed their best chance in the second half. There's a few others that look a little on the rotund side.

Anyway not much happened in the first half, and with time running out in the second SC threw caution to the wind and brought on Marek for the anonymous Jim Harper. After that to nobody's surprise we looked far more positive and showed some attacking intent. Shane Long did pretty well after he came on for Doyler, although he completely fluffed a cross from a sublime Marek pass which opened up the PNE defence. Leroy Lita did OK starting along side Doyle, and Alex Pearce looks like an able deputy for Ingar. In truth neither keeper was really troubled, and PNE have to go down as one of the most negative sides to have played at the Madejski Stadium this season. This could have been a tactic, or it could have been the result of a complete lack of fitness from a side that look like they could beat all-comers in a pie-eating competition.

Other results mean that little damage was done by dropping the points, but we need to get back to winning ways at home to Bristol City in two weeks, which you'd like to think will be a better game altogether, with hopefully the right result to match.