Reading vs Fulham. Sky Bet Championship.
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Report and highlights from the Sky Bet Championship clash at the Madejski Stadium
Tuesday 1 October 2019 23:26, UK
Fulham extended their unbeaten Sky Bet Championship run to five matches with a comfortable 4-1 victory over 10-man Reading.
Captain Tom Cairney gave Fulham an early lead before Reading lost midfielder John Swift to a red card after 20 minutes.
Top marksman Aleksandar Mitrovic stretched the Fulham advantage to 3-0 before the half-hour mark. He pounced twice from close range to take his tally for the season to seven.
Cairney added his second goal, his fifth of the term, in the 67th minute after an error by home goalkeeper Rafael.
Yakou Meite thumped home a 20-yard shot for Reading one minute from time but Fulham won at a canter.
After three successive 1-1 draws, Fulham had defeated Wigan 2-0 at Craven Cottage last Friday and Reading were winless in five outings in all competitions.
The contest got off to a frantic start, with Bobby Reid shooting over for Fulham from 20 yards.
Reading replied quickly, with visiting goalkeeper Marcus Bettinelli having to save smartly from Meite's angled effort.
Swift then made a rash challenge on Reid, which sparked a melee involving most of the players.
Referee Andy Woolmer calmed the situation and issued Swift with only a yellow card.
Fulham's growing authority was rewarded in the 13th minute when they went ahead through Cairney.
Stefan Johansen's pass created the space on the edge of the home area and Cairney curled home his third goal in successive matches past Rafael.
Seven minutes later, it got worse for Reading. Swift arrived late on Fulham right-back Denis Odoi and was shown a second yellow card, then red, by Woolmer.
Fulham responded to their numerical advantage by scoring twice through Mitrovic.
The Serbia striker first turned in a low cross from the right from Anthony Knockaert in the 26th minute.
Three minutes later, he guided home past Rafael with ease from a Joe Bryan centre from the left.
Fulham eased off approaching half time but should have made it 4-0 in the opening stages of the second period.
Knockaert was left free in the home area but his dinked effort was beaten away by Rafael.
Reading made a rare excursion forward, with George Puscas going on a mazy run before driving wildly over.
Fulham retaliated with a fierce drive from centre back Alfie Mawson that Rafael saved superbly low down.
Mitrovic could have completed his hat trick but headed wide when unmarked from a Johansen cross.
But Fulham made it 4-0 in the 67th minute when Rafael's attempted clearance was blocked and Cairney cleverly lobbed the ball over him into the empty net.
Meite's powerful left-footed drive in the 89th minute was no more than a minor consolation for Reading.
Jose Gomes: "We faced a very strong team with many Premier League players. We started the game with the best chance and could have scored but we then conceded after one mistake. After we had one player less, the problem was even bigger.
"But in the first half, we still should have been more aggressive in the way we pressed the opponent with the ball. In the second half, it was difficult but we did much better. We showed good character and spirit."
Scott Parker: "I was delighted with the performance. I've been delighted with the performances over the past four or five weeks but the results have been missing a little bit. That's what most people usually look at and I understand that. But tonight, I thought that we were first class from start to finish.
"In the first 30 minutes, we were devastating - even though they had a man sent off. But, prior to that, I felt that we had really stamped our authority on the game and showed our quality. We're going to be a team very hard to deal with in the first 20 or 30 minutes. Even when Reading had 11 men, it was still difficult for them. We moved the ball very quickly and with an intensity. And we were really clinical in the final third. Over the past few weeks, we've worked a lot on getting that cutting edge about us."
