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Sheffield Wednesday logo
Championship
Nov 2, 2013 at 3pm UK
 
Reading logo

5-2

Fryatt (18', 63'), Antonio (25'), Morrison (42' og.), Wickham (57')
FT(HT: 3-1)
Pogrebnyak (35'), Le Fondre (90' pen.)

Live Commentary: Sheffield Wednesday 5-2 Reading - as it happened

Live text coverage of Reading's trip to winless Sheffield Wednesday in the Championship, courtesy of Sports Mole.
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Rockbottom Sheffield Wednesday welcomed Reading to Hillsborough looking to end their winless start to the season at the 13th time of asking.

It's a feat that Dave Jones's side achieved as they blew away the Royals 5-2 to upset the form books.

Read how a whirlwind 90 minutes unfolded in South Yorkshire in our minute-by-minute updates below.


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Afternoon everybody! The feature 3pm kickoff in the Championship sees rockbottom Sheffield Wednesday look to pick up their first league win of the season at the 13th attempt against Reading. Let's get straight to the teams...

WEDNESDAY XI: Kirkland; Buxton, Roger Johnson, Kamil Zayatte, Reda Johnson; Antonio, Olofinjana, McPhail, Helan; Wickham, Fryatt

READING XI: McCarthy, Kelly, Gunter, Pearce, Morrison, Baird, Guthrie, McCleary, Obita, Robson-Kanu, Pogrebnyak

SUBS! And the two sets of seven on the bench at Hillsborough this afternoon:

WEDNESDAY: Martinez, Llera, Nuhiu, J Johnson, Coke, Mattock, Palmer
READING: Federici, Cummings, Gorkss, Akpan, McAnuff, Blackman, Le Fondre

So, what to make of the two lineups. The biggest news is without doubt the inclusion of Connor Wickham. The England Under-21 international only signed on loan from Sunderland yesterday, but he's straight into the attack alongside another loanee in Matty Fryatt.

Wickham's inclusion is the only change made by Dave Jones to the side that drew last week at South Yorkshire neighbours Barnsley, with Jermaine Johnson missing out. That will mean that former Royal Michail Antonio will go out to right wing.

Speaking of Antonio, here he is in an Instagram picture by Reading catching with some former teammates:

Reading's official Twitter page writes: "Seven of Wednesday's starting line up are over six foot - should be a battle for Pavel & Hal against a huge back four! #readingfc"

REFEREE WATCH! The man with the whistle today is Eddie Ilderton, who in his last match - in League One between Peterborough and Shrewsbury - didn't show a single yellow card.

These two sides haven't met since February 2010 and on that day it was a 5-0 victory for Reading at home. I doubt we'll see that again today!

PREDICTION TIME! Just five minutes until the off in Yorkshire so I best make my prediction for the 90 minutes ahead. Sorry Wednesday fans but I don't see today being the day that you score three points for the first time this season. I fancy Reading to nick it 2-1.

Here come the two sides out of the tunnel. Wednesday are in their home colours of white and blue and of course Reading can't wear the same so they don their away kit of black with pink detailing.

KICKOFF! We're underway at an overcast Hillsborough.

UPDATE! Wow, incredible scenes in the Premier League at the Britannia Stadium as Stoke's goalkeeper Asmir Begovic scores inside a minute!!! Keep up with all the scores from England and across Europe with the red box to the right of this commentary. You see it? Good.

Kirkland is forced into an early save as Robson-Kanu lets fly from outside the box. It was well struck but much too close to the Owls keeper.

Next to warm the gloves of Kirkland is Gunter, who cuts in from the right but again fires too centrally.

UPDATE: Goals elsewhere in the second tier as Jermaine Jenas puts QPR ahead against Derby while Brighton are also in front at Doncaster thanks to Jake Forster-Caskey.

Almost a freak goal for Reading as McCleary's vicious left-footer smacks into the head of Roger Johnson and flies just over.

Wednesday have done very little so far but they work it nicely out to Reda Johnson, whose clipped cross is into an area that causes hesitation among the Reading ranks before McCarthy takes charge and claims.

Best opening of the match so far as Reading outnumber Wednesday down the left, with Robson-Kanu feeding Kelly whose fierce cross is cleared.

GOAL! WEDNESDAY 1-0 READING (FRYATT)

Reading have looked more like scoring but it's the home side who go ahead as indecision at the back allows Antonio to collect and square for Fryatt to stroke home.

Reading have responded well to going behind and threatened just now as the ball pinged around in the area before finally zipping away to safety.

GOAL! WEDNESDAY 2-0 READING (ANTONIO)

Incredible stuff at Hillsborough as Wednesday double their lead with a fine Antonio goal. The former Royal shimmied inside his man before bending a 20-yard shot just inside the far post. Super finish.

CHANCE! Almost a third for the hosts as Fryatt gets in down the inside-left channel and prods just wide of the far post with the outside of his boot.

Reading have again been zipping the ball about neatly after conceding. If they can get one back before half time then they'll feel that they still have a good shot at winning this game.

McCleary has been in electric form this season but he doesn't produce his best there with a tame shot that Kirkland watches dribble past his right-hand post.

CHANCE! Good chance for the Royals to half the deficit as Robson-Kanu has a shot from the right of the area that curls just wide.

GOAL! WEDNESDAY 2-1 READING (POGREBNYAK)

I said that Reading were looking like equalising and they do just that as Pogrebnyak accurately heads in off the post with power. Fine header.

UPDATE: There are a lot of goals going in across the Championship. Remember, the red live scores box on the right is where your eyes should be flashing to!

For anyone viewing on mobile, scroll to the top of the page and hit 'Live Scores'.

Loanee frontmen Wickham and Fryatt link up well before the latter has his shot at goal well blocked by Morrison.

GOAL! WEDNESDAY 3-1 READING (MORRISON OG)

Dear oh dear, it's a freak goal that restores Wednesday's two-goal lead. Wickham's initial shot was saved by McCarthy but ricocheted against Morrison before trickling over the line.

TWO minutes of times added on at the end of the first half and what a 45 minutes it's been!

CHANCE! Where have this Wednesday been all season?! They almost make it four as Fryatt goes through on goal before being tackled by Morrison. The ball falls to Wickham though and his low shot hits Fryatt who was still on the floor and in an offside position!

Reading want a penalty as Reda Johnson challenges McCleary from behind but he did get the ball and that would have been harsh.

HALF TIME: WEDNESDAY 3-1 READING

A four-goal first half comes to an end and it was some half from the Owls. Remember, they haven't won a league game this season but it looks like that unfortunate stat will stop at the 13th try.

As things stand in the second tier, Wednesday are going to be climbing two places up to 22nd. Reading currently sixth.

As usual, it's an extremely busy Saturday afternoon on SM and you can see all of the latest scores, results and upcoming fixtures by clicking here.

Looking at the stats from the opening half, Reading have actually had more shots with 10 to Wednesday's nine. Both sides have got three on target and the difference is that all of Wednesday's have found the net. Possession-wise, the Royals have dominated with 62% of the ball.

Most teams would feel extremely confident leading 3-1 at home at half time but Wednesday, especially if Reading pull one back quickly, will be uneasy because of thier poor record so far this term.

KICKOFF! The Owls get the second period underway. No half-time subs from either manager.

GOOD HIT! Guthrie with a rocket of a shot from distance that beats Kirkland but just fizzes wide of the goal.

CHANCE! I said Wednesday might be nervous and that's certainly the case as Reading go close again. This time Guthrie is the provider as he gets in down the right and squares to Robson-Kanu who scoops his shot over the bar from eight yards.

YELLOW! Wednesday have a chance to put a good ball into the area after Kelly hauled over Antonio but McPhail's free kick is poor. Kelly was cautioned for the foul.

Wednesday have done well to escape without conceding from that early Reading pressure at the start of the half.

GOAL! WEDNESDAY 4-1 READING (WICKHAM)

Surely that's game over now? Wickham gets the goal that his tireless performance deserves as he slams in a brilliant Antonio cross.

WEDNESDAY SUB: Jones makes a sub to shore up the midfield as Giles Coke replaces McPhail.



GOAL! WEDNESDAY 5-1 READING (FRYATT)

No, Owls fans, you're not dreaming. The hosts make it five as yet again Wickham and Fryatt combine with a lightning breakaway that sees the latter deftly lift over McCarthy and into the net.

Reading on Twitter: "Can't make excuses for this one. Just a poor, poor day at the office from the Royals."

Wednesday fans are really enjoying themselves now as they chant OLE! every time they make a pass.

READING SUB: Adkins makes a change as Guthrie is taken off for Adam Le Fondre. Even his late goalscoring exploits aren't going to help Reading here.

READING SUB: And another swap for the Royals as Nick Blackman comes on for McCleary.

A few chuckles from the home fans as the ball goes out of play and Wednesday manager Jones tries to control it but shows an awful first touch!

It really is astonishing to think that Wednesday, who before today had drawn eight of their 12 league games this season, are beating a team that were in the Premier League last season 5-1!

The weather in South Yorkshire is just worsening Reading's mood even more as the wind and rain lashes down.

WEDNESDAY SUB: Two-goal man Fryatt gets a huge round of applause as he comes off for Jermaine Johnson.

And JJ almost scores with his first touch as McCarthy's kick goes straight to him but he can't control his lob from 30 yards.

UPDATE! In the Premier League, Man City have just gone 7-0 up on Norwich! All scores here.

Chance for Reading to get one back but Blackman blazes over after good work by Le Fondre.

WEDNESDAY SUB: My man of the match, Antonio, is replaced by Atdhe Nuhiu with five minutes of the match left.

Today's attendance at Hillsborough is 20,368.

CHANCE! Wickham with a wonderful chance to get his second and Wednesday's sixth as he latches on to an underhit backpass but is denied by an excellent save from McCarthy.

Slick interplay from JJ and Nuhiu but the former can't find his teammate with a second return pass.

PENALTY TO READING! ROGER JOHNSON CLEARLY BRINGS DOWN POGREBNYAK!

GOAL! WEDNESDAY 5-2 READING (LE FONDRE, PEN.)

Substitute Le Fondre plants it low to Kirkland's left. The Wednesday keeper got a hand to it but couldn't keep it out. Scamp consolation.

SAVE! JJ comes close to making it six with a blistering run and low shot that McCarthy keeps out.

FULL TIME: WEDNESDAY 5-2 READING

So Wednesday finally win a game in the league at the 13th time of asking and it takes them off the bottom of the table and out of the drop zone. Reading are still in the playoff places despite the heavy loss. Full table here.

It's been a crazy day of football in the Championship with plenty of drama and late goals. Our reports are going live thick and fast and you can find them all through our live scores page here.

Aaaaaaanyway, that's all we've got time for here on this commentary. Thanks for joining Sports Mole. There's still plenty for you to read on site but my top recommendation is that you head over to our live coverage of the top-of-the-table Premier League clash between Arsenal and Liverpool, which can be found here.

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Sheffield Wednesday manager Dave Jones on March 31, 2012
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19Luton TownLuton2164112337-1422
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21Cardiff CityCardiff2046101932-1318
22Portsmouth193882134-1317
23Plymouth ArgylePlymouth2045111942-2317
24Hull City2137111930-1116


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