Birmingham City

2-1

Reading

Forsell 30, Gray 67

 

Hunt 51


The FA Cup Fourth Round Proper Replay
St. Andrews
Tuesday 07 February 2006
Winning club receives £60,000
£150,000 television payment for each club




Birmingham defeated a detemined and talented Reading side at St. Andrew's thanks to goals from Mikael Forssell and Julian Gray, although they had to avoid a scare when Reading looked like taking the game to extra-time.

After an opening half hour with very little incident the match suddenly burst into life and the action came thick and fast.

Despite an early chance falling to Kitson in the opening moments, the first real opportunity came the way of Mikael Forssell and the Finnish striker put Birmingham in front.

Reading's response was almost instant when Steve Sidwell crashed a thumping effort on Maik Taylor's goal only for the Northern Irish international to be equal to the shot.

The save however rebounded to Kitson who should have levelled the scores but incredibly his effort was also denied by Taylor.

With just over ten minutes to play before half-time Reading were certainly in the ascendancy despite falling a goal behind, but they were unable to capitalise on their good build-up play before the interval.

They burst out of the traps in the second period however with Steve Coppell's words no doubt ringing in their ears and they were on level terms just six minutes into the half.

A long ball down the middle from Oster found Hunt in the area who bustled past several defenders before blasting his shot into the net.

It was no less than the runaway Championship leaders deserved after some intricate and persistant football against a difficult to break down Birmingham side.

Birmingham pressed their physical advantage home after losing a goal and they forced their way back into the lead through sheer determination, always a hallmark of Steve Bruce's playing career.

With strong running from Jiri Jarosik and an accurate cross, the delivery was buried by the arriving Julian Gray to the delight of the home crowd.

Birmingham had a number of opportunities to put the game beyond Reading but were unable to make for a comfortable close to the match.

Reading kept up their appetite for The FA Cup with some energetic play and didn't allow Birmingham to relax in the closing moments. In the end Reading's efforts were in vain and it is Birmingham who will meet Stoke City in the Fifth Round.

But the Championship leaders will have earned a number of admirers from their courageous efforts, particularly against Premiership opposition in the Midlands.

Birmingham: M Taylor, M Melchiot, A Bruce, M Painter, J Gray, J Pennant, S Clemence (90 S Oji) , J Clapham, M Birley (59 M Sadler) , M Forssell, J Jarosik

Subs not used: N Vaesen, S Alsop, O Allen

Reading: G Stack, J Halls, I Sonko, I Ingimarsson, C Makin, J Oster, S Sidwell, B Gunnarsson, S Hunt, D Kitson, S Long (68 S Cox)

Subs not used: A Federici, S Golbourne, C Osano, C Sinnott

Referee: Phil Walton

Attendance: 16,644