Reading vs Bolton Wanderers. Sky Bet Championship.
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Reading have lost all three games so far this season
Saturday 18 August 2018 19:06, UK
Yanic Wildschut struck the winner as Bolton condemned Reading to a third consecutive Sky Bet Championship defeat with a 1-0 victory at the Madejski Stadium.
Reading dominated the first half with John Swift and Sam Baldock both denied by fine saves from goalkeeper Ben Alnwick.
But Bolton introduced Norwich loanee Wildschut at half-time and, in the 48th minute, he slid home a cool finish for what proved to be the only goal of the game to maintain Wanderers' unbeaten start.
Both teams secured Championship survival on the final day of last season, Bolton with a dramatic 3-2 win over Nottingham Forest.
Reading lost to Derby and Forest in their opening games this term but defeated Birmingham 2-0 in the Carabao Cup first round on Tuesday.
Bolton picked up four points from their first two league matches but an under-strength side lost 2-1 at Leeds in midweek in the League Cup.
It was Bolton, managed by former Reading captain Phil Parkinson, who made the brighter start. However, intricate approach work frequently came to nothing, with home goalkeeper Vito Mannone relatively untroubled.
Reading were the first to seriously threaten when Swift powered in a 20-yard free-kick. He had scored from a similar set-piece against Birmingham in midweek but, on this occasion, Alnwick made a superb save.
Reading maintained their steady progress, with Bolton forced to retreat and defend in numbers. Mark McNulty had a goalbound effort blocked, Baldock shot over the crossbar and Yakou Meite drove weakly at Alnwick.
Meite should also have done better when finding space in the Bolton area but he was denied by a fine last-ditch tackle from David Wheater.
Having survived the sustained pressure, Bolton should have gone ahead just past the half-hour mark. Josh Magennis released Will Buckley yet, with only Mannone to beat, he shot tamely at the Italian.
Reading replied with a fierce attempt from Baldock which Alnwick did well to parry to safety.
Parkinson brought on Wildschut for Buckley at the interval and he was rewarded within three minutes of the restart. Craig Noone flicked the ball through and Wildschut ran on to it before calming placing the ball under the diving Mannone. It was the second goal of the new campaign for the Dutch winger, who is on a season-long loan from Norwich.
Reading responded positively but Alnwick was rarely tested, with Baldock and Swift both off target with poor efforts.
Swift also engineered a chance for himself, when cutting in to the byline, but he was eventually crowded out at the near post. As Reading gradually ran out of ideas, Bolton held on comfortably for the win.
Paul Clement: "Parts of our football were very good, especially in the first half. We had some nice combinations and got in behind them. But in the second half, when the quality really matters at the right moment and the pressure is high, that's got to be better.
"We've got to be mentally tougher to deal with adversity. You've got to use adversity to make you stronger and better. At the moment, the games are ticking by and we've not done that. We missed a massive opportunity to kick-start our season today."
Phil Parkinson: "I'm absolutely delighted with that. It was a hard game and we had to push ourselves to get the result. They were hot, humid and sticky conditions and we've had to push ourselves right to the wire.
"We restricted Reading to very little and got a really good goal - a great ball by Craig Noone and a terrific finish from Yanic. This really gives us something to build on, even though it's still early in the season. Psychologically, that's a great boost for us."
