| Reading exited from the EDF Energy Intermediate Cup in controversial
circumstances as the home touch judge’s decision in injury time robbed them of a
try under the posts which would have set up an easy conversion to win the game.
A forwards drive down the right ended with lock Gary McLaughlin powering over and
showing a fine turn of speed to make sure the touch down was under the posts. With
the side celebrating a deserved win they were taken aback by the touch judge’s
decision that McLaughlin’s foot had gone into touch. |
| Reading official Alan Bright was on the spot and clear as to what happened: “McLaughlin was four inches inside the touchline. It was the Coney Hill player whose foot was in touch and knocked down the corner flag” he stated after the game. |
| The local referee – drafted in because the original referee was held up in traffic – had no option but to disallow the try, but he had a torrid time all game. He set the tone in the first minute when he penalised Reading for holding on to the ball the second the man had gone down, allowing no time at all for release. A succession of penalties against Reading followed and it was no surprise when they were 10-0 down after just eight minutes, the home side kicking a penalty and scoring a converted try. |
| Inevitably, two Reading players were yellow carded and the game became scrappy, with plenty of niggle and outbreaks of fighting at times as the referee struggled to keep control. He now began to find fault with the home side and it was their turn to be penalised. Towards the end of the first half they had a flanker yellow carded and during the second half two of their front row were also shown yellow. |
| Finally, near the end, substitute home winger Codlin, was given a straight
red after blocking Reading winger Andrew Tweedie as he followed up a kick ahead and
apparently following this up with a punch. Soon after the same man, who should have
been in the technical area but was on the touchline, got into an altercation with
Reading’s lady physio. |
| Last time these teams met, at Reading, there was a 12 try feast, with the
visitors scoring eight of them. This was never really likely on Saturday as Reading
put in a much improved performance and, had they been more clinical with their
finishing they would have had the game settled well before the controversial ending.
A penalty from fly half Ryan Barnett gave the home side a 4th minute lead. He also
converted Felice’s try to make it 10-0. From then on it was all Reading, despite their
yellow cards, but it was not until 37th minute that Tweedie’s penalty reduced the
areas. Crucially, while skipper Alex Wallace was in the sin bin, a decision was made
to kick for a lineout when a kick at goal was definitely on. Had a penalty been
kicked then a win would have been likely. |
| Reading dominated the second half but managed just one try before the
disallowed try and the referee’s final whistle brought an unsatisfactory end to a
niggling game. Reading look forward to returning for the league game on January
26th. |
| READING: Alex Blackstock; Andrew Tweedie, Peceli Nacamavuto,
Andy Evans, Taniela Ratu; Alex Wallace, Tom Goodhew; Axel Rees, Richard Pryor,
Andy Grierson, Gary McLaughlin, Sean Kenneally, Tim Laverye (Tristan Haines, 57 mins),
Dan Phillips, Scott Heirene |
| Ted Goodhew |