Sky TV coverage meant Saturday's trip to Reading was made a bit more awkward than usual with my girlfriend Carly missing her first QPR game of 2004. The game was originally due to be played on the Sunday, but Sky moved the game so they could show Newcastle v Liverpool on Sunday and our battle of the Hoops on the Saturday. After making other plans, Carly was stuck at home with her wedding hair and make up trial whilst I made the short trip to Reading.

After a long wait for a bus to the ground I arrived in plenty of time for a pre match beer and hot dog. Sadly the staff at Reading were not the best with very few of them able to speak English so I was stuck in a queue for 40 minutes. Once I got to the front I was greeted by blank looks as I asked for a pint and the woman couldn’t work the till. I appreciate that staff are hard to get around Christmas but it would have been nice if Reading could hire someone with at least one brain cell and some knowledge of the English language.

So after getting to the ground early I didn’t get to my seat until the game was kicking off but it was nice of the Reading announcer to say “Enjoy the game and come on your R’s”. I knew they had nicked our kit but judging by the pitiful amount of noise from the home end they’ve nicked most of our songs as well.

Ian Holloway had made two changes to the team which lost last weekend. Marcus Bean and Gareth Ainsworth dropped to the bench. Kevin Gallen was back in midfield to give Jamie Cureton a chance to score against his old club up front. Martin Rowlands made his first start since October on the right wing. New loan signing Leon Best was among the substitutes.

The game started slowly as most of the viewers watching on Sky began to turn over to watch Football Focus. Reading looked the brighter of the two sides but neither side were able to put more than 2 passes together.

Rangers had the first real sight of goal with a few free kicks around the box. Paul Furlong struck the first one but Sidwell bravely blocked the fierce shot. We soon won another set piece around the area but this time Rowlands effort was deflected by the wall.

Reading almost grabbed the lead after a poor back pass by Padula saw Day fluff his clearance on the volley. The ball fell to Kitson and he was brought down by Bircham which saw a few arguments among the Rangers players. The free kick came to nothing but Rangers looked a little nervous for a short spell after this.

It was looking similar to our last few away games with a bright start then nervous defending; we just needed a goal for the home side for it to be business as usual. Thankfully the goal didn’t come and Reading’s top scorer Dave Kitson found himself booked for his attempt to win a penalty. He raced onto a through ball as Day came of his line to gather it. Kitson dived over Day to win the penalty but the ref saw through it and booked him for diving. It looked harsh at first but after seeing the replay on TV at half time it was a clear dive and he deserved the yellow card.

Glenn Little was next to try and win a penalty. Little flicked the ball over Gino’s head and got clear of the full back but a terrific last ditch tackle won us the ball back as Little cried for a penalty. Padula accused the winger of diving and as the ref turned his back Little slapped Gino across the face. Raising your hands on the field of play is a straight red card but despite the linesmen signalling to Gino he saw the incident he did sod all about it. Padula was furious and exchanged more than a few unpleasant words with the right winger.

As all this was going on Rangers almost took the lead. Cureton did well on the left finding some space and picking out Furlong with a good cross but his header was straight at the keeper when a few inches either side would have given us a lead.

Dean Morgan almost gave the home side the lead chesting down a long balk over the top but Shittu got across well and did enough to put him off as he fired wide. Reading were on top but we were coping pretty well with them and the game had 0-0 written all over it.

Holloway made a tactical switch as Rowlands and Miller swapped wings. Rowlands got into the game more on the left as he was able to cut in on his right foot and looked a real danger when he got the ball.

Marc Bircham almost gave away a penalty as he chested down a header from a Reading corner. TV replays show the ball just about touched his arm but it would have been a harsh penalty to give as it didn’t seem intentional. We’ve had them given against us for less though this season.

Rangers got to the break level which was good but we needed to step up a few gears in the second half if we wanted to get anything out of the game.

Rangers made no changes at the break but we did come out a far better side. The pre half huddle got the team going and we went all out looking to open the scoring. Martin Rowlands was looking more like his old self as he went on a run from the half way line. He took several defenders with him but kept the ball before whipping over a cross which Adam Miller headed over the bar.

Jamie Cureton was looking well up for the game now and was looking for the ball rather than waiting for things to happen. He curled one shot wide from the edge of the box and had another effort blocked as we started the half on top.

A cracking ball by Miller carved the defence open as Cureton ran through, the angle was a tight one though and with no real option Cureton had a shot which was well saved at his near post by the keeper.

Things were looking up now as we were camped in the reading half. Dave Kitson hobbled off injured and it was like a training session as we passed the ball in little triangles and kept possession brilliantly. Rowlands won us a corner after a run into the box and cross which deflected just wide and could have gone anywhere.

At this stage I could only see us winning the game (although a draw still looked a certainty). Dan Shittu then went down injured as Rangers kicked the ball out whilst Shittu and a Reading player got some treatment. For some reason when play resumed Reading attacked Rangers which led to the opening goal of the game. No one really protested at the time but it wasn’t the most sporting piece of play I’ve seen this season.

Anyway Rangers made Reading’s life easier for them as Santos gave away a needless free kick after a long ball forward. He had no need to foul the forward but gave them a chance in a dangerous position.

Full back Nick Shorey stood over the ball and appeared to over hit his cross to the far post. Just as out luck is at the moment the ball flew into the back of the net via the inside of the bar and what looked like a miss hit cross ended up a goal of the month contender.

Rangers still had time to get back in the game though and if we could carry on the way we had been playing in the second half we were bound to get a goal back.

Rangers though were soon down to ten men after a moment of stupidity. Sidwell tried some gamesmanship shouting out “Jacks” to Jamie Cureton as the former Reading man was all set to receive a ball to feet. Jacks is player slang for leave it and as Cureton stepped away from the ball he turned to see his former team mate clear a Rangers attack. It was blatant cheating by Sidwell but not bad enough to provoke the reaction it did as Cureton had a kick at Sidwell before having two attempts and hitting him. The red card was fully deserved and although Sidwell was wrong to do what he did it is impossible to excuse Cureton and I hope he has apologised to his team mates who he badly let down. It was a real shame as well because this had been the best Cureton has played in a long time which just adds to the frustration.

Holloway made a change to allow us to push forward. Leon Best came on with Gino Padula taken off. Gino was a bit unlucky to be the one to come off as he had a decent game but we needed another forward on to get a goal back.

Best looked impressive from the moment he came on. His first touch saw him get the ball down and run at the Reading defence linking up with Furlong but neither of them could get a shot away. Best was proving to be a real handful for the home side as we looked for a goal to get us the point we deserved.

Adam Miller was working hard on the right but looked knackered late in the game. He did whip in one excellent cross for Furlong who headed over but he was flagged offside anyway.

Holloway made two late changes brining on Lee Cook and Gareth Ainsworth for the tiring Adam Miller and Martin Rowlands. Ainsworth looked full of life running at his full back and he almost made a late goal. Santos won a tackle on the half way line which sent Ainsworth clear. He ran into the box but was blocked with the ball falling to Santos who had loads of time and space to get a cross in. Santos instead volleyed the ball high and hard into the QPR fans with his team mates looking on in disgust.

Bircham was booked for persistent fouling late in the game and was lucky not to see red for another late challenge on Owusu.

Leon Best was almost put through as get got away from his defender but Reading just about cleared it for a corner. This was our last throw of the dice with a corner in injury time. Chris Day made a late run into the box but the near post corner was met by Ainsworth and cleared for another corner. The ref blew for full time though before the ball went out and Rangers were condemned to a sixth straight away defeat and our seventh defeat in the last eleven games.

After the game the trip back to Reading train station was a nightmare. After asking one policeman where the buses go from I was told to “Fuck off” so I laughed and said that was helpful and he said “One more word and you’re nicked”. Merry Christmas to him as well. After waiting almost an hour for a bus the end to a disappointing day was over.

It wasn’t a bad performance by Rangers but we were just lacking a bit of quality in the final third to give us the lead when we were on top.

This poor run of form has seen us drop away from the playoffs and we are now down to tenth with some nervously looking over our shoulders to the bottom of the table.

After 24 games played 10th place is about right for Rangers and it’s a position I would have taken at the start of the season. We now go into a busy Christmas period which will probably decide what sort of winter we’ll be having. If we can pick up 7 points from the four games that should be enough to cement a mid table place for us and allow us to build for a playoff push in the second half of the season.

Man of the Match: Martin Rowlands