Sigurdsson sends Royals through

Sportsdesk • Published 23 Jan 2010 14:00 0 Comments

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GYLFI Sigurdsson's dramatic 87th minute winner sent Reading through to the FA Cup fifth round at the expense of Premier League Burnley.

The Icelandic youngster netted his ninth of the season with a cool finish past Clarets keeper Brian Jensen.

And it was no more than Brian McDermott's side deserved after a dominant performance against the lacklustre Clarets at Madejski Stadium.

In fact, if anything the scoreline flattered Brian Laws' visitors as Royals should have had at least one penalty when Jobi McAnuff was scythed down by Joey Gudjonsson in the 70th minute.

But referee Andy D'Urso, who had a poor game, somehow gave a free-kick the other way.

However, Sigurdsson's strike meant that baffling decision had no influence on the final outcome.

McDermott made three changes to the side that started in last weekend's 2-1 Championship defeat at Nottingham Forest.

Brynjar Gunnarsson replaced Kalifa Cisse in midfield while Grzegorz Rasiak came in for Gunnar Thorvaldsson.

In addition, fit-again Sigurdsson got the nod on the left of midfield with Jay Tabb missing out altogether.

Not surprisingly, it was an almost identical line-up to the one McDermott put out in the historic third round replay at Anfield where Royals claimed a memorable victory, loan right-back Andy Griffin being the only exception.

While Royals may be struggling in the league, the Liverpool win showed their true potential and McDermott called for more of the same in this fourth round clash, which was shown live on the internet.

As if his players needed any more of a motivation anyway given the recent history with Burnley.

It was, after all, only eight months ago that the Clarets, then managed by Owen Coyle, beat Royals 3-0 in last season's play-off semi-final, sealed with a heartbreaking 2-0 defeat of Steve Coppell's side at Madejski Stadium.

So revenge was in the air and the hosts looked the more threatening side in the opening exchanges with Rasiak firing wide from Sigurdsson's cross then heading over from a McAnuff centre.

The visitors, with Laws now in charge, were having little impact and their keeper Brian Jensen had to be alert to catch Sigurdsson's effort from the edge of the box.

Then midway through the first-half Royals were screaming for a penalty when McAnuff went over a back-post cross and Rasiak went down as he challenged Tyrone Mears.

But even though Mears was tugging Rasiak's shirt, the big Pole went down too easily and was perhapy lucky to escape a booking from D'Urso.

But the Essex official was reaching for his cards moments later to book Matt Mills for fouling Chris Eagles.

Back came Reading with Rasiak shooting at Jensen at the end of a flowing move that once again showed the team's attacking potential.

However, the visitors, despite their awful away record, were proving difficult to break down, although some agricultutal challenges by Chris McCann and Eagles earned the Burnley duo a yellow each as half-time approached.

It was an uninspiring first-half in which the Clarets did not muster a shot at goal uintil the 45th minute from a harmless Eagles bicycle kick.

Laws' side had been there for the taking and an immediate change came when Martin Paterson replaced Steve Thompson for the second half.

But it was still Reading making most of the chances. Simon Church tested Jensen with a rasping drive then Mills header over from the corner.

Burnley looked more like an average Championship side than a Premier League outfit who have humbled the likes of Manchester United this campaign.

And they were lucky to get away with it on 50 minutes when Sigurdsson went close with a free-kick after a lovely turn by Church.

However, as the hour approached they began to find their rhythm with Graham Alexander volleying wide and Joey Gudjonsson forcing a fine near-post save from Adam Federici from an Eagles cross.

McDermott freshened things up by replacing Church with Anfield hero Shane Long in the 64th minute and soon after the Irish substitute was involved in the game's most controversial moment.

It was Long's clever reverse pass to McAnuff that sent the winger racing clear of Gudjonsson and towards goal.

The Burnley midfielder slid in from behind and sent McAnuff crashing to the ground, but D'Urso strangely waved play on, much to the frustration of the home fans and skipper Ivar Ingimarsson whose protests brought a booking.

Then second later Sigurdsson nearly broke the deadlock with a glancing header from Ryan Bertrand's cente.

But still the ball wouldn't go in and the visitors hit back, Paterson forcing Federici into a smart save.

Then from the corner the Aussie stopper, recently linked with Liverpool, made an even better stop parry David Edgar's header, though Paterson should have done better with the rebound.

It was becoming a frenetic finish as Royals piled on the pressure.

Jensen made two good saved to deny Mills and Long from set-pieces then Ingimarsson blazed wide.

With six minutes left McDermott made his final change by sending on Gunnar Thorvaldsson for Rasiak, while Burnley's Robbie Blake replaced Gudjonsson.

And still it was the home side who looked the mostly likely to score - and the goal finally arrived with less than three minutes left on the clock.

Griffin drilled the ball into the Clarets box where it struck a visiting defender.

Sigurdsson quickly nicked the ball back, took a touch then calmly slipped the ball under Jensen and into the far corner.

It was no more than Royals deserved. They were the better side from start to finish and could have won by a greater scoreline but for some dreadful decisions from D'Urso and some wasteful finishing.

But they will not care too much about that and Reading's FA Cup campaign is becoming a glorious distraction in a season of struggle.

Reading (4-4-2): Federici - Griffin, Ingimarsson, Mills, Bertrand - McAnuff, Gunnarsson (Kebe 75), Karacan, Sigurdsson - Rasiak (Thorvaldsson 84), Church (Long 64). Subs not used: Hamer, Cisse, Pearce, Howard.

Burnley (4-1-3-2): Jensen - Mears, Duff, Edgar, McCann - Alexander - McDonald, Gudjonsson (Blake 85), Elliott - Eagles, Thompson (Paterson 46). Subs not used: Carlise, Rodriguez, Guerrero, Penny, Easton.

Referee: Andy D'Urso (Essex).

Attendance: 12,910 (Burnley 1,070).

ends.

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