Waddock changed things up for this and switched to a 4-3-3 formation. Paul Jones was in goal behind Bignot, Shittu, Santos and Milanese. Donnelly, Bailey and Langley were the midfield three with Ainsworth and Cook flanking Furlong in a Chelsea style attacking formation.

Rangers started the game brightly with the midfield and attack linking seamlessly and seeming to catch Reading on the hop. They would probably have been expecting the bog standard 4-4-2 and they seemed to take a while to figure out who was picking who up.

Furlong should have done better with a far post header after a good cross from Cook before the winger was felled after a jinking run that took him past four Reading defenders. From the resulting freekick Langley dipped an effort onto the roof of the net with Hahnemann seemingly beaten.

Reading started to get into the game but their final ball wasn’t accurate enough to create a genuine chance. Santos smuggled a Shorey cross out for a corner before an Oster cross cleared everyone with several Reading players well placed.

The keepers were finally called into action and both had to show their worth within minutes of each other. Firstly Hahnemann had to block a fierce drive from Furlong after he had seized on Cook’s inviting pass and then Jones had to fly full length to keep out Reading’s Player of the Season Kevin Doyle. From the follow up Shorey pulled his effort across the face of goal.

Donnelly had to be alert to keep an effort from Oster out after the winger slammed in a shot following a corner. It was excellent positioning from the young midfielder; he was have a terrific game in the middle of the park and showing that he will be a big player for us next season. He is supremely confident on the ball and his range of passing is very good for one so young.

Rangers came close to opening the scoring with just over half an hour played. Reading had a freekick just outside the R’s area and when it was cleared Rangers broke at pace. Cook cut in from the left wing and sent a swerving shot at goal that Hahnemann seemed to misjudge initially. He managed to turn it away only for it to bounce up invitingly for Langley. He seemed to have the goal at his mercy but he contrived to head the ball well wide.

The Reading fans were screaming for a pen as the game approached halftime after Kevin Doyle had run up the back of Bailey as he tried to clear the ball. He had already nipped past the Irishman and Doyle shoved him onto the ball and he grabbed it with both hands. There was a moment of panic but Drysdale got this one right and awarded Rangers the freekick. He wouldn’t be so good later in the game.

Four minutes before the break Reading undeservedly took the lead. Rangers were attacking the Reading area but a freekick into the box was cleared and Reading were away. Convey delivered a ball to the far post and Oster managed to turn it back into the path of Kitson who side footed home from five yards. It was harsh on Rangers who had more than held their own for the majority of the half.

Waddock was forced into a change at the break as Paul Jones left the field seemingly pointing to his thigh. Jake Cole made his second sub appearance of the season as his replacement. He also changed the formation to keep Reading guessing and went to a 4-4-2 with Donnelly moving to the right hand side and Ainsworth joining Furlong up front.

Langley sent a corner into the box that was headed well over the bar by Santos before Cook had an effort with his right foot that swerved just wide of the post. Cook was causing all sorts of problems for the Reading defenders and was at his quick footed best.

Jake Cole had done the easy tasks that had come his way with ease before he was forced into a brave save at the feet of Kitson. The ginger haired striker burst his way through and Cole threw himself to the floor as Kitson dived at him with twelve studs on show. It should have been a freekick for dangerous play but as it was it was just a top piece of keeping.

Ainsworth was almost set free after a stunning ball from Milanese but Sonko managed to block him off before he could shoot. At the other end Shittu completely misread a pass and allowed Doyle a free run at Cole. The young keeper was quick off his line though and executed a perfect tackle thirty yards from goal.

Langley then missed a brilliant chance after great play from Milanese. The Italian full back had galloped fully eighty yards and pulled a perfect ball back into the path of Langley. He should have shot first time on his left foot but as usual he over elaborated, tried to get it on his right and the chance was gone.

Waddock decided now was the time to throw Giant Ray Jones into the fray in place of Bailey and it paid immediate dividends. Ainsworth found space on the right and floated a ball up to the back stick where the big teenager attacked it and knocked the ball perfectly into the path of Furlong. The hitman didn’t need asking twice and sent a pinpoint left footed strike past Hahnemann. It was great link up play between two men at very different ends of their careers. Jones is a right handful and his introduction caused havoc from the off. He is another that might well find himself getting a lot of action next season as he looks tailor made to be Nygaard’s cover.

Giant Ray almost made another chance minutes later, this time for Donnelly. Once again he knocked a ball down at the far post and the young midfielder burst onto it and saw his first shot blocked off by Sonko. The ball came back to Donnelly but he was slightly off balance and his weak effort was easily gathered by Hahnemann.

Rangers were pounding Reading now and when the keeper dropped Cook’s corner at Shittu’s feet they nearly had their second. Shittu had time and crashed a fierce shot past the American keeper but into the side netting. Then Giant Ray chanced his arm from twenty five yards after giving Sonko the slip but his piledriver was easily held by Hahnemann.

Reading were still a threat though and Cole was forced into a brilliant save after former Brentford winger Steven Hunt sent a spectacular overhead kick at goal. It looked like it was right in the top corner before Cole flung himself to his right and turned it over the top.

Then with nine minutes left Rangers were robbed by a disgusting piece of hometown refereeing. Shorey had the ball just outside the box and tried to fire it in but only managed to hit Langley who was no more than three yards away. The Reading fans screamed for a pen and the weak minded Drysdale duly obliged. It was an awful decision and one that would never have been given at the other end. A more cynical man than I might suggest that the fact that Murty was down to take the kick having been the only outfield player not to have scored this season had some bearing on the decision…

The Rangers players were apoplectic and it was a good two minutes before Murty got the chance to score his goal. To be fair to him he held his nerve well and sent a fierce pen high to Cole’s left with the young keeper having gone the other way.

Donnelly had a late chance with a freekick to get something from the game but he could only curl his effort past the post without troubling Hahnemann. Reading managed a couple more attacks as their sought their one hundredth league goal but it wasn’t to be and the referees whistle brought wild celebration amongst the stripes fans.

The R’s fans stayed to show their appreciation to their players that had turned in an excellent performance and had a deserved point cruelly taken from them. I am not sure how many black cats Waddock has run over or how many mirrors he has smashed or even how many ladders he has walked under but it must be a hell of a lot. I bet he just wishes a bird would shit on him for a change! The bloke can’t buy a slice of luck but in the last three games we have seen plenty to give us hope for next season.

I doubt Reading have faced a team that has given them two good a games as we have this season. In know that doesn’t help us much but it shows that we can compete. Youngsters like Cole, Bailey, Donnelly and Jones have all shown that they can cut it at this level and hopefully the addition of a bit of quality in the summer will see us improve the poor 21^st place finish by some distance next term.

The end of this season has been a long time coming. Boardroom upheaval, a change of manager, some awful signings and a catalogue of injuries have made this a season to forget. Let’s hope that Waddock is the right man to lead us forward, let’s hope the board can get us on an even keel, let’s hope that we can hang onto to some important players and bring in some quality, let’s hope we get a season that we can be proud of, not ashamed of and most of all, let’s get behind whoever is on the pitch and hope that they give us their all.

simon@qprnet.com