Happy Irvine backs Royals for top flight

0 Comments | Sunday Mirror, Feb 8, 2009 | by GRAHAM OTWAY

PRESTON boss Alan Irvine could afford to be generous last night after taking a point off Reading at the Madejski Stadium.

He tipped the Royals to win promotion even though Steve Coppell is currently having to cope with a goal draught.

"I fancy Reading to go up," said Irvine. "Their record at home is terrific and there will be goals in their team. They've got good strikers in Lita and Doyle and I think they are a real threat."

But Irvine could afford to be generous after his own players had done enough to confirm their own potential to make the play-offs.

Preston, led brilliantly by Frenchman Youl Mawene, extended Reading's run to a month and four matches without scoring a goal.

In that period they may have beaten leaders Wolves, but that was only courtesy of a lucky own goal.

And with Mawene in total control of a solid defence Preston never looked like letting Reading end their dismal run. The Royals had two chances in the first half but each time they were denied brilliantly by Andy Lonergan.

He positioned himself superbly to push aside a fierce angled drive from Jimmy Kebe. And when Leroy Lita burst clear of the visitors' defence he closed him down and got his body in the way of a fierce shot.

Reading's efforts in front of goal in the second half were even fewer. Lonergan had to get his hands to a flashing header from Kevin Doyle but in front of him the pressure was soaked up by Mawene and the rest of the defence.

That left the path open for Preston to have a go at completing a double over Reading this season. And they almost pulled it off in the 79th minute in a classic breakaway attack.

Sub Chris Brown fired in a low cross but with the goal at his mercy Jon Parkin shot hurriedly over the bar. But such was Irvine's delight at the draw that he was prepared to forgive his striker.

"Jon came straight in after the game and apologised to the lads. But strikers miss chances and we have to accept that and move on."

Surprisingly Reading boss Coppell had few complaints with his side's performance, saying: "This form does not disturb me, we've just got to adjust and if we put in the right level of performance we will be OK.

"We could have done with better delivery from wide men. But I'm OK about it."

In his match notes Coppell criticised the transfer window, saying it was farcical because it led to speculation that could have unsettled his players. But on yesterday's performance he might have been better served spending the window strengthening his squad.

HOW THEY RATED

READING

Federici 6

Rosenior 5

Duberry 4

Pearce 6

Armstrong 5

Kebe 4

Harper 5

Cisse 5

S Hunt 4

Doyle 5

Lita 6

PRESTON

Lonergan 6

Jones 6

St. Ledger 6

Mawene 8

Nolan 7

Sedgwick 6

McKenna 6

Nicholson 7

Wallace 6

Elliott 6

Parkin 6

SUBSTITUTES

N Hunt (Kebe) 5,

Matejovski (Harper) 5,

Long (Doyle) 5

Brown (Elliott) 6

S COPPELL 4

A IRVINE 6

MAN OF THE MATCH

YOUL MAWENE 8

The rock Reading could not crack

REFEREE: M Jones 5