Reading vs Huddersfield Town. Sky Bet Championship.
Select Car Leasing Stadium.
Report and highlights from the Sky Bet Championship clash between Reading and Huddersfield at the Madejski Stadium as Rarmani Edmonds-Green equalised deep into stoppage-time for the Terriers on the final day of the season
Saturday 8 May 2021 17:51, UK
Reading had to settle for a 2-2 draw with Huddersfield at the Madejski Stadium after the visitors grabbed a last-gasp equaliser.
Josh Koroma fired Huddersfield in front on the quarter-hour mark but Michael Olise levelled with a penalty three minutes later and Yakou Meite headed Reading in front in an eventful first half.
Although Reading dominated the second period, they squandered a series of half-chances - allowing Rarmani Edmonds-Green to equalise in the third minute of stoppage time.
Reading had led the Championship by seven points in late October, after an excellent start to the season, and were still eight points clear of seventh place in January.
But a glut of injuries to key players and inconsistent form thereafter resulted in them losing their long-held top-six spot - and ultimately a play-off berth - in the middle of last month.
Veljko Paunovic's side had won only one of their previous 10 matches before the visit of Huddersfield - with the visitors in not much better shape after just one victory in nine games.
Town's poor record actually extended to only two wins in 14 but they at least managed to secure second-tier safety with a 1-1 home draw against Coventry last Saturday.
Reading started brightly, John Swift forcing a fine save from goalkeeper Ryan Schofield with a 20-yard shot.
But Huddersfield responded quickly, with Scott High striking a post from just outside the home area.
Town then went ahead in the 15th minute, with Koroma guiding in an elegant free-kick that 'keeper Luke Southwood - on his league debut for Reading - was unable to reach.
However, the hosts hit back to score twice before the break.
Olise slotted home confidently from the spot, after Jonathan Hogg had clumsily fouled Alfa Semedo in the box, for his seventh goal of the season.
Meite then took his tally for the campaign to 12 in the 26th minute, looping a fine header over Schofield from a hanging Olise cross.
Town opened with intent at the start of the second but, after a slick move down the right flank, Duane Holmes' subsequent cross was gathered comfortably by Southwood.
Reading soon regained control, with Swift seeing a well-struck effort blocked and Schofield having to save from Omar Richards.
Olise continued to prove a big influence on the left flank but, after a tricky run towards the Town area, he centred tamely into the arms of Schofield.
The 19-year-old Frenchman, voted the EFL's Young Player of the Season, then contributed twice more.
He drilled a shot over from 25 yards and then his corner was headed over by substitute Lucas Joao.
Huddersfield started to threaten near the end, with Kieran Phillips shooting narrowly wide.
They grabbed a point when fellow substitute Edmonds-Green fired in from a tight angle.
Reading's Veljko Paunovic: "It's probably a reflection of how we felt two weeks ago when we lost our opportunity for the play-offs. It's been hard since then to carry on but, to be honest, we've done a good job. We carried our spirit until the end today, until conceding the equaliser, but at least this draw helped us to achieve the barrier of 70 points. That is something.
"On the other side, I'm proud of the efforts of the team today and over the whole season. After the disappointment of missing the play-offs, the players have worked hard and kept themselves accountable."
Huddersfield's Carlos Corberan: "We didn't get the result we wanted but we finished the game with the right mentality. We made a lot of passes but, at times, we made it too complicated for ourselves. The start of the game was very positive for us. But after we scored, we knew it was not going to be easy to defend because Reading have a lot of ability.
"They tried to attack a lot, they were trying to change the game, so we had to play with a lot of personality and character. Today, fortunately, we got a point. Even though it doesn't change anything in the table, it changes a lot of feeling that we have inside ourselves. As a club, we want to grow and we want to improve the squad. I want to see a better profile of the team, better performances and better results."
