Reading Show the Value of the Art of the Half-Chance

Another sell-out crowd at St Mary’s was left frustrated by their team’s failure to convert dominance into points last night, and nobody can deny that, at this stage, it is points that are very much the order of the day.

Adam Le Fondre’s introduction with just under half an hour remaining proved to be the decisive moment in an encounter that effectively decided the Championship title. His two late goals not only all but sealed the Royals’ return to the Premiership, but also served to highlight what it was that was missing from Southampton’s performance. There was no lack of strategy, endeavour, inspiration or skill, but Southampton failed to make their opportunities count, especially in the first half when they laid siege to the Reading goal.

Adam Federici, whose outstanding performance at Brighton in midweek earned Reading an unlikely victory, once again proved to be a difficult obstacle for the opposition to pass. In a first half almost entirely controlled by the home side, Federici’s display was vital just to keep the visitors in touch at the break, let alone in the lead. But in the lead they were on twenty minutes after they took advantage Southampton’s first real error in possession. Danny Fox’s overambitious cross-field pass was intercepted, Jose Fonte was caught underneath Kebe’s precise centre, and Jason Roberts was left to head past Davis from close range.

This was hardly fair on the Saints, who had started the game like a team determined to make this their own night to remember. Reading were finding Lallana’s trickery difficult to contain, and his deflected strike drew Federici’s first real save – the Australian getting down smartly to turn the ball round the right post. Next, Butterfield’s inviting cross was met by Lambert’s flying header, but it was just too close to Federici who made another fine stop.

Then came Roberts’ sucker-punch, but Southampton’s assault on the Reading goal didn’t let up; Lallana’s audacious chip forced another save before Lambert was just unable to get over Fox’s cross in the six-yard box, directing his header over the crossbar.

Southampton were finally rewarded for their pressure early in the second half, and even then it took a deflection to beat Federici. Lallana found Sharp in the penalty area, and his instant lay-off fell perfectly for Lambert whose strike flew into the roof of the net via the knee of Gorkss.

In truth, the Saints never really took advantage of their return to parity; Reading’s resolve, if anything, was strengthened as they pressed the home side ever higher up the pitch, denying them the freedom of possession they surrendered in the first period. The chances were drying up as Lallana was well marshalled by the Reading backline, forcing the home side to rely on hopeful crosses from Butterfield and occasional darting runs from de Ridder. One such cross did find Lallana as he made a run across Cummings, but he couldn’t direct his header on target - another half-chance squandered by the Saints.

Adam Le Fondre has made a habit of snatching late goals since his arrival from Rotherham, and he was the perfect man for Brian McDermott to turn to in the circumstances– Reading’s was a game plan that depended upon the ruthlessness of their forwards when the time came. When Dean Hammond dallied on the ball with twenty minutes remaining, the substitute might have just felt that the time had come.

With the Saints defence backtracking desperately to halt Kebe’s progress into the penalty area, Le Fondre timed his run to the edge of the box perfectly to meet the winger’s pullback and fire a first-time finish into the top corner. McDermott says his striker was ‘born to score goals’, and his second goal in injury time further showed off his poacher’s instincts. Fonte’s back-header was too weak to reach Davis and Le Fondre rounded the ‘keeper to finish.

The Royals’ smash-and-grab win was their fourteenth in their last sixteen outings, an incredible feat that deserves to culminate in promotion. Whether the Saints can join them in the Premier Division depends heavily upon how they react in midweek – a trip to Peterborough to try to secure the first of two wins that would see them out of West Ham’s reach. They need to rediscover their finishing touch, and fast.