UNLIKE most of their previous displays this season, this was not a performance that will give Reading’s Championship rivals reason to fear them. But when they have a forward like Nick Blackman in the form of his life, maybe it does not matter.
The former Sheffield United player was in the right place at the right time to settle a match where the Berkshire side struggled to maintain the momentum they had created prior to the international break.
Nevertheless, Blackman’s 76th-minute header from Lucas Piazon’s left-wing cross was his 10th goal in all competitions this season, scoring for the fifth in a row, and was his ninth in his previous nine matches in all competitions. He is now the Championship’s top scorer with eight league goals and he has helped Steve Clarke’s side up to second.
“Nick can’t stop scoring at the minute,” the former West Bromwich Albion manager said. “His performance from the first minute today was one of his best. He was excellent and it didn’t matter where I put him on the pitch.”
“We knew if we couldn’t get the early goal it would be a test of patience but there was only one team on the pitch trying to win the game.”
Advertisement
In the end, Reading took advantage of Charlton defender Patrick Bauer’s sending off for a second bookable offence after he brought Blackman down on the edge of the area midway through the second half.
Until then it was difficult to tell where a goal
would come from with Lucas Piazon, Blackman and Oliver Norwood having half chances for the hosts in a poor first half. At the end Ali Ali-Habsi had his own save to make as he kept out Johann Berg-Gudmundsson’s effort.
Charlton had come with a defensive mind-set and for a while it appeared as if they would hold out for a point. Michael Hector’s 30-yarder deflected just over at the start of the second half before Blackman and Aaron Tshibola also missed the target.
Piazon also saw an effort deflected over but Bauer’s dismissal on 68 minutes, a professional foul on Blackman leaving referee Rob Lewis with no choice but to produce red, changed everything.
Advertisement
Piazon may have fired the subsequent free kick well off target and a wayward Danny Williams effort also went over but Reading’s patience was rewarded as they won for a sixth time in seven league matches. “The red card changed the game and gave them the advantage,” said Charlton manager Guy Luzon.
Star man: Nick Blackman (Reading)
Reading: Al Habsi 6; Gunter 6, McShane 7, Hector 7, Obita 6; John 6 (McCleary 69th, 6), Norwood 7, Tshibola 6 (Williams 69th, 6), Piazon 8 (Fernandez 87th); Blackman 8, Sa 6
Charlton: Pope 6; Solly 6, Diarra 6, Bauer 5, Berdych 6; Berg-Gudmundsson 6 (Fox 63rd, 6), Cousins 6, Jackson 6 (Ba 69th, 6), McAleny 5; Moussa 5 (Watt 56th, 6), Ahearne-Grant 5