Long sinks Liverpool on night of Anfield drama

Sportsdesk • Published 13 Jan 2010 22:00 0 Comments

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SHANE Long came off the bench to sink Liverpool 2-1 on one of the greatest nights in Reading's FA Cup history.

The Irishman won a dramatic penalty two mintutes into stoppage time which Gylfi Sigurdsson clinically converted to cancel out Ryan Bertrand's 46th minute own goal.

Then 10 minutes into extra time Long's glancing header secured Royals' first ever win at Anfield and sent Brian McDermott's side deservedly through to the fourth round where they will meet Burnley at home on Saturday week (12.45pm ko).

It was also McDermott's first victory as temporary manager which will do his chances no harm of landing the job permanently.

But that can wait for now as Royals bask in the glory of a major cup upset and Liverpool contemplate another massive setback to already disappointing season.

But make no mistake, Royals matched the illustrious Premier League giants in every department over 210 lung-bursting minutes.

They had chances to win the first meeting at Madejski Stadium when Steven Gerrard struck a fortunate equaliser in reply to Simon Church's opener.

And it was a similar story in the replay until Long's late-show.

In fact, moments before that Jobi McAnuff should have made it 1-1 with an incredible piece of individual brillaince.

But as opportunities went begging it seemed the Reds would hold on and go through.

In fairness, it was what everyone expected given Reading's lousy form in the league.

The feeling was their chance to cause an upset had already gone.

But McDermott rewarded the players who fought out that 1-1 draw at the Mad Stad by naming the same starting XI.

And there was no doubting how hight the FA Cup rates on Benitez's ever-diminishing priority list by the strength of his side.

Daniel Agger, Philipp Degen, Alberto Aquilani and Yossi Benayoun all came into the starting line-up, while Diego Cavalieri replaced Pepe Reina in goal.

No wonder then some bookies offered as much as 14/1 on a Reading victory, and as little as 1/6 on Reds going through.

But Royals showed why this is the greatest cup competition of the all by rattling Gerrard and Co. in the Mad Stad clash.

The star performers that night wore hoops not red shirt. Jobi McAnuff, Jem Karacan and Sigurdsson stood out in particular.

But winning at Anfield, beating a milti-million pound assembly of world class talent in front of the Kop is another matter.

Yet Royals showed little respect for reputation in the first metting - and it was a similar story here.

Matt Mills set the tone with a crunching early tackle that brought a ticking off from referee Phil Dowd.

Then Karacan's name went straight in the book for a bone-cruncher on Gerrard.

The tie wasn't even four minutes old.

But McDermott knew commitment wouldn't be enough to topple Liverpool at home.

They needed quality and in the 10th minute a piece of trickery nearly put them in front when Sigurdsson's clever free-kick looked like creeping in at the near post only for Cavalieri to claw it away.

Although Rasiak headed wide from the corner before Church fired tamely at the Liverpool keeper, it was a promising start from the visitors.

The hosts, by contast, looked lethargic again. Torres fired wide a couple of times but it was nothing to trouble Adam Federici, who is being linked with a move to Anfield.

Royals should have gone in front on 22 minutes when Grzegorz Rasiak missed a sitter from Church's exquisite cross that left Jamie Carragher in a tangle.

Undeterred, they continued to look menacing on the break and they nearly scored four minutes later.

Jem Karacan found Mcanuff in acres of space and the winger whipped in an inviting cross that beat two defenders but Church missed with a diving header and the goal at his mercy.

And Reading's spirits were lifted when Torres limped off on the half-hour mark following an early collision with the impressive Ryan Bertrand to be replaced by David N'Gog.

It was hard to tell who was the Premier League side.

But Liverpool finally showed glimpses of quality as half-time approached when Benayoun curled one an inch wide then N'Gog fired directly into Federici's arms.

Mills was then booked for a challenge on Benayoun but redeemed himself with a brave block on the midfielder's effort from a corner.

But seconds before the half-time whistle Royals suffered a cruel blow by conceding an own goal against the run of play.

N'Gog laid the ball off to Gerrard whose hopeful low cross struck the inside of Bertrand's heel and rolled past the wrong-footed Federici.

It was a massive slice of luck for the hosts who until that point looked devoid of confidence and ideas.

Perhaps it summed up Reading's campaign so far. But it seemed all was not lost when Gerrard failed to appear for the second half because of a hamstring twinge, with Ryan Babel replacing him.

And Degen was booked for diving in the box seven minutes after the restart as Reds searched for a second.

After a brave Mills block tackle to deny Benayoun, McDermott made his first change just before the hour.

It was no spurprise to see Brian Howard step off the bench given his Barnsley heroics at this very ground in a fifth round shock a couple of years ago.

But after an Aquilani free-kick fizzed just wide, McDermott changed his approach again, sending on Jimmy Kebe for Rasiak.

And within a couple of minutes Royals almost drew level when Ingimarsson flung himself at Bertrand's brilliant in-swinging free-kick without getting enough on it to beat Cavalieri.

As every manager will say, you've got to take your chances in these games.

At this point members of McAnuff's family perhaps should look away.

For with 10 minutes to go, the classy winger had the chance to write his name into FA Cup folklore.

He took possession 10 yards inside his own half, skipper through a tackle then burst past Benayoun and made a bee-line for goal.

McAnuff waited for the last two Liverpool defenders to commit themselves, dribbled through them and was clean through.

And when he delayed his shot and put Cavalieri on his backside he looked odds on to score.

But with a gaping net in front of him, McAnuff unbelievably stabbed the ball wide.

It would have ranked up there with Ryan Giggs and Ricky Villa in terms of greatest cup goals.

And while he may live to regret it, Royals finally found an equaliser two minutes into stoppage time.

Even before that, Church and Sigurdsson went close and, as Liverpool backed off, Long coaxed Benayoun into fouling him from behind as the Irishman fought for possession in the box and Phil Dowd pointed to the spot.

The Kop fell silent as ice-cool Sigurdsson stepped up to take the night to extra time, making a fool of Cavalieri by rolling the penalty into the corner, the keeper having already gone the other way.

So to extra-time. Babel fired into Federici's hands but Royals kept believing and kept throwing men forward.

And it gloriously paid off 10 minutes into overtime when Gunnarsson nutmegged Insua and drilled in a cross which Long met with a glancing header into the far corner.

It was the Irishman's first goal of the season, and probably the one he will remember more than any other in his career.

Liverpool (4-5-1): Cavalieri - Agger, Carragher, Deggen, Insua - Kuyt, Gerrard (Babel 46), Aquilani, Lucas, Benayoun - Torres (N'Gog 30). Subs: Gulacsi, Aurelio, Spearing, Skrtel, Pacheco. Booked: Degen 53.

Reading (4-4-2): Federici - Gunnarsson, Ingimarsson, Mills, Bertrand - Mcanuff, Cisse (Howard 59), Karacan (Long 81), Sigurdsson - Church, Rasiak (Kebe 65). Subs not used: Hamer, Tabb, Pearce, Matejovsky. Booked: Karacan 4, Mills 45, Gunnarsson 127.

Referee: Phil Dowd.

READING were beaten 3-1 by Newcastle United at Madejski Stadium in the FA Youth Cup fourth round. Jacob Walcott scored the consolation.

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