Leicester City 0-2 Reading FC
James Walker-Roberts • Published 13 Aug 2011 17:00
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NOEL Hunt and Hal Robson-Kanu both struck in the second-half to help Reading record their first win of the 2011/2012 Championship season over Matt Mills' Leicester City.
After dominating the first-half, Royals deservedly went ahead in the 64th minute when Hunt scored nearly a carbon copy of his goal in the play-off final - rising highest for an Ian Harte cross and heading in.
Substitute Robson-Kanu then sealed victory in the dying stages when he received the ball in the box and blasted a shot across goal that struck the crossbar and nestled in the top corner.
It was just reward for Brian McDermott's men, who bossed large parts of the game and restricted Sven Goran-Eriksson's expensively assembled side to a handful of chances throughout.
David Nugent went closest for the hosts either side of the break when he shot across goal and then struck the post after beating goalkeeper Adam Federici.
However, despite threatening to burst into life at the start of the second-half, Leicester never really controlled the game and boos rang out around the King Power Stadium at full-time.
With Darius Vassell suspended, Jeffrey Schlupp, fresh from his Carling Cup hat-trick in midweek, started up front with Nugent for Leicester.
And it was the former Portsmouth man who had the first shot of the match after three minutes when he curled an effort straight into Federici's arms.
The loudest cheer from the visiting support in the early stages came when former Royals skipper Mills hoofed a ball from the back straight into the arms of his old team-mate Federici.
However, Reading grew into the match and their controlled possession kept the home fans quiet and also frustrated Leicester.
Kebe went close to providing a cross for Manset to convert but it was the striker who provided Reading's best moments in the first-half.
A few minutes after turning Mills once to provide a lay-off for Mikele Leigertwood, Manset burst forward from midfield, jinked past the former Reading skipper and drilled a shot just wide of goal.
Reading continued to control the game but they could have gone behind twice on the stroke of half-time.
First, sloppy passing presented Yuki Abe with a chance to shoot just wide and then Nugent was played in down the right and dragged a shot past the far post.
The former Portsmouth striker went even closer at the start of the second-half when he cut inside Alex Pearce and rolled a shot around Federici that struck the post and bounced clear.
Kebe threatened to break the deadlock at the other end moments later but Kasper Schmeichel came out well to block his shot.
Both sides looked intent on scoring an early goal and half-time substitute Andy King forced Federici to palm a shot over the bar before Neil Danns shot wide.
It was the away team who eventually got the breakthrough, however, when Harte swung in a corner and Hunt rose highest to glance a header past the defenders on the line and goalkeeper.
Kebe went close to doubling the lead with a well-struck shot that sailed past the post but Leicester struggled to break down McDermott's men.
Indeed, the three points were sealed late on when Robson-Kanu received the ball in the box and lashed a shot into the top corner.
This article appeared in Reading Chronicle 13 Aug 11
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