Reading 2 West Brom 2

Sportsdesk • Published 13 Feb 2010 17:00 0 Comments

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READING were cruelly denied a place in the FA Cup quarter finals for the first time in 83 years by a late West Brom sucker punch.

Goals from Jimmy Kebe - after a staggering nine seconds - and Simon Church looked like sending Royals through to the last eight, emulating their historic run of 1926/27.

But Baggies full-back Joe Mattock had other ideas and smashed home the equaliser with three minutes left to set up a replay at The Hawthorns on Wednesday, February 24.

In truth, a draw may have been a fair result but Reading will be kicking themselves at conceding such a late goal when they should have been home and dry.

It was a fitting finale to an incident-packed fifth round tie that could easily have gone either way.

And, sadly, it is Royals who will be counting the cost after Shane Long was shown a straight red early in the second half for an ugly challenge on Abdoulaye Meite which could bring a massive four-game ban.

The red-hot striker had scored four times in three games before today and his absence will be a huge blow to Royals' survival chances ahead of a string of six-pointers starting at Crystal Palace next week.

It took the gloss of another incredible cup performance by Brian McDermott's side who knocked out Premier League duo Liverpool and Burnley in the previous rounds.

And until Mattock popped up at the death, the hosts looked like adding the scalp of promotion-chasing Baggies to that list.

The FA Cup has thrown up some incredible stories down the years and Kebe wrote his name into Royals folklore by scoring after an incredible nine seconds.

It was the quickest goal scored by a Reading player in any first-match game in the club's 138 year history.

Championship rivals West Brom kicked off but right-back Gianni Zuiverloon showed too much of the ball to Kebe who nicked it off him, went around Meite and fired a clinical shot across Scott Carson into the far corner.

It was a sensational start for the Royals but it was always going to tough to hang on for the next 89 minutes.

But, after ex-Royals Simon Cox headed wide, McDermott's men nearly doubled their lead on 10 minutes when Brian Howard delivered a perfect free-kick to the back post but the angle was too tight for Kebe who headed into the side netting.

Still, it was promising from Royals who were knocking it about well and looking dangerous up front.

Then they shot themselves in the foot by switching off at the back in the build-up to the Baggies' 18th minute equaliser.

Chris Brunt sent over a cross from the right which seemed to confuse Adam Federici and leave Robert Koren with the simplest of tap-ins.

It seemed to knock the stuffing out of Royals who began giving the ball away and making silly mistakes.

They almost conceded a second goal within moments of the restart when Brunt's cross was just too far in front of Bednar then the Czech striker stung Federici's hands from 25-yards.

Koren then volleyed against Federici's post, with the Aussie keeper getting a faint touch.

But despite a new urgency from West Brom, the home side held on until half-time.

Sadly, whatever McDermott said in the dressing room went to waste when Long was given his marching orders three minutes after the restart for a foolish tackle on Meite.

The Royals striker clearly left his studs showing as he attempted to block the Baggies defender's clearance, giving Foy little option but to reach for red.

It was the 23-year-old's second straight red of the season following a similar indiscretion at Derby County.

It meant 10-man Royals faced a massive uphill battle, but West Brom's numerical advantage lasted just 12 minutes before Yousuff Mulumbu was also sent for an early bath.

The midfielder only came on at half-time but in the space of 16 minutes he picked up two yellows for fouls on Brynjar Gunnarsson and could have few complaints about the decision.

It evened up the numbers and gave McDermott's men renewed belief.

Jobi McAnuff went close from the edge of the box then Bednar stabbed wide at the other end.

Then in the 73rd minute the hosts went in front again when substitute Grzegorz Rasiak played a beautiful chip over the top for Church to race on to.

The Wales international's first effort was saved by Carson but he kept his cool to slot home the rebound for his sixth of the season.

It set up a frantic finish and it seemed Reading had done enough when Mattock was free on the right to drill an angled shot into the far corner to secure the replay and break Royals' hearts.

Reading (4-4-1-1): Federici - Griffin, Ingimarsson, Mills, Bertrand - McAnuff, Karacan (Tabb 83), Gunnarsson, Kebe (Rasiak 63) - Howard (Church 49) - Long. Subs not used: Hamer, Henry, Robson-Kanu, Pearce.

Yellow cards: Howard 44. Red card: Long 48.

West Brom (4-1-3-1-1): Carson - Zuiverloon, Meite (Tamas 53), Olsson, Mattock - Jara (Mulumbu 46) - Brunt (Moore 74), Dorrens, Koren - Cox - Bednar. Subs not used: Keily, Wood, Slory, Mantom.

Yellow cards: Mulumbu 47, 61, Tamas 63.

Red Card: Mulumbu 61.

Referee: Chris Foy (Merseyside).

Attendance: 18,008 (West Brom 4,146).

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