Church: 'I can be next Shane Long'

Sportsdesk • Published 20 Sep 2011 12:30 Comments 1 Comment

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Reading 2 - 0 Doncaster Rovers

SIMON Church is vowing to fill Shane Long's boots following his man-of-the-match display against Doncaster Rovers on Saturday.

The fit-again Wales striker scored his first goal in five months in the crucial 2-0 victory over Donny in a Championship basement battle at Madejski Stadium.

Fellow striker Adam Le Fondre also opened his Royals account with the other goal as Brian McDermott's side ended a run of five straight defeats in all competitions to climb out of the bottom three.

Reading have struggled to find the net since the recent £7 million sale of last season's 25-goal marksman Shane Long to West Brom.

But 22-year-old Church believes he can step up to the plate now he has made a full recovery from injuries to both thighs.

"The big thing for me was that I got my chance on Saturday," explained the Wales striker. "It's been a frustrating start to the season for me with injuries.

"I wanted to hit the ground running in pre-season and prove to the manager and everyone else that I am ready to step up and fill the hole Shane Long left behind.

"Hopefully Saturday's game has given me that opportunity now."

And he added: "I always believe that if I keep getting chances I will score goals. Luckily I had a nice and easy one to put in.

"The difference on the day was the confidence out on the pitch and the fact the fans were right behind us which was massive.

"It was a great feeling to get 90 minutes, to score and to win."

Church broke the deadlock with a simple tap-in after Le Fondre forced Donny and ex-Spurs keeper Neil Sullivan to fumble.

It was his first Reading goal since he scored a dramatic late winner in a 4-3 win at Nottingham Forest in April.

"I love those goals, they're the best ones," he declared. "I don't care if the ball hits me and goes in, it doesn't matter.

"But it was great work from Alfie to create the goal and I was in the right place at the right time."

And he added: "Like every team, we want to go on a run now.

"We've always said it's not about individuals at this club, it's all about the team.

"We played well all over the pitch. The big thing was to work hard and show the fans we really care and really want to win.

"The manager drilled that into us all week before the game and it showed on the day."

Reading fans jeered the team a week earlier following the 2-0 home defeat by Watford.

In stark contrast, there were warm cheers at the final whistle on Saturday as McDermott's men climbed out of the bottom three and up to mid-table.

Royals' boss stated: "The fans were fantastic, they were magnificent. They stayed with us and really got behind the players from minute one.

"They want to get behind the team and they certainly did that.

"I told the players that if you give the fans absolutely everything, then they'll respond. You could see they responded to the effort and we got the result we wanted."

Winger Jimmy Kebe limped off in the first-half against Donny and is a doubt for Saturday's trip to Coventry City (3pm ko).

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LoyalRoyal
13 posts
Sep 21, 21:21
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Church should have played at Wembley against england instead of Earnshaw. Then maybe Wales would have got something out of the game.

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