Newcastle have a throw inside the Reading half and that looks to be that.
Hold up! Chance for Newcastle to load the Reading penalty box after the referee awards them a free kick!
90' +2
That looks to be the last chance for the home side, who remember have yet to win since their return to the Premier League. They have just about deserved the three points though in my book. Newcastle on the whole have been rather disappointing.
90'
OFF THE POST! Reading go oh so close to a winner as their captain McAnuff rattles the post with a curling effort from the edge of the area. What a superb effort. So unlucky!
89'
The home side are doing all the attacking as the clock ticks towards 90. Can they find that little bit of extra quality? There will be 4 minutes of stoppage time.
87'
Jason Roberts has just gone close to grabbing a winner for Reading twice in the space of a minute. First, McCleary beats his man on the right-wing and plays perfectly to an onrushing Roberts to bring a superb save from Steve Harper. The ball then eventually finds its way back to Roberts in the box and his shot on the turn just goes past Harper's left-hand post. Close.
86'
A. Le Fondre enters the game and replaces N. Hunt.
85'
The away side can sense a potential win here and Hatem Ben Arfa has just seen a long-range effort flash over the bar. For all of his talent, Ben Arfa has been rather wasteful this afternoon.
83'
D. Ba has scored a goal for Newcastle United! Assist by S. Ferguson.
GOAL!!!!! 2-2! Scrap my previous comment, Newcastle are level! A fantastic cross from substitute Shane Ferguson finds Demba Ba who handballs it past Reading keeper Alex McCarthy. Yes, you read that correctly. The Senegal striker does go to head the ball but misses it and instead the ball hits his hand and it trickles in.
80'
Reading are just beginning to sit back a little, perhaps wary of the fact that they are on the brink of getting off the mark in the Premier League. However, Newcastle aren't exactly overloading the home side with mass pressure. Reading certainly aren't hanging on. Hatem Ben Arfa has a shot from outside of the box but sees it blocked.
78'
J. Roberts enters the game and replaces P. Pogrebnyak.
Minute
Description
76'
A heart-warming moment here at the Madejski as Jason Roberts makes his first appearance of the season from the substitutes bench. The 34-year-old had a massive role in the Royal's promotion last season.
74'
Newcastle have found it difficult handling the pace of Reading's wide players all afternoon and Jobi McAnuff has just taken Perch to the cleaners before producing a cross that Pogrebnyak just can't quite connect to.
73'
J. Gutiérrez gets yellow.
Reading go close to getting the goal that would make this game safe as Gorkss attacks a Nicky Shorey free kick with gusto but his header flies over the bar.
70'
G. McCleary enters the game and replaces J. Kébé.
Ben Arfa explodes into the box and sees his cross-cum-shot almost sneak past McCarthy at his near post. Newcastle just beginning to push on a little now.
69'
Shola Ameobi enters the game and replaces P. Cissé.
S. Ferguson enters the game and replaces G. Bigirimana.
68'
Newcastle look a little shell-shocked after that Hunt goal and with good reason. They must have thought they were right back in it with Ba's superb equaliser only to be undone by Reading's second goal. Perhaps Pardew will be regretting taking off central defender Steven Taylor only minutes earlier. Papiss Cisse has gone off for Newcastle, the wait for his first league goal of the season goes on.
65'
Phew! Need a bit of a break now! The home fans can sense that their side's first league win of the season could be in the offing and are now creating an almighty racket at the Madejski. Newcastle are set to react by bringing on Shola Ameobi. Cometh the man...
62'
N. Hunt has scored a goal for Reading! Assist by J. McAnuff.
GOAL!!!! 2-1 Reading. it's raining goals here at the Madejski and after an extremely slow first half, this game has really caught fire. Again it's McAnuff who creates it with a swinging cross from the left that is met by the head of Noel Hunt to put the Royals back in front.
59'
GOAL!!!!! 1-1. Demba Ba equalises within seconds for the Magpies. A superb long-range pass from Tiote finds Ba who fires an unstoppable volley past McCarthy. The Reading keeper didn't have a prayer there.
58'
J. Kébé has scored a goal for Reading! Assist by J. McAnuff.
D. Ba has scored a goal for Newcastle United! Assist by C. Tioté.
57'
GOAL!!!!!! 1-0 Reading. I said at half-time that Jimmy Kebe would be the key to Reading getting anything out of this game and so it's proved. Reading counter-attack swiftly and a fine ball from captain Jobi McAnuff finds Kebe who slots it past Steve Harper.
56'
J. Tavernier enters the game and replaces S. Taylor.
55'
Newcastle have brought on James Tavernier for his Premier League debut, in place of Steven Taylor.
54'
At last Cisse comes to life for Newcastle. The Senegal international takes the ball quite superbly after it is fired into the box, looks to take it past the Reading defender before his goal-bound shot is well blocked by Nicky Shorey. He's had a slow start to the season but after his goal at Old Trafford in the week, Cisse just looks like he's coming into form.
53'
M. Williamson gets yellow.
50'
Both keepers have looked imperious when coming to claim the ball so far today. Harper's just confidently claimed another Reading corner.
48'
The game is stopped as both Steven Taylor and Noel Hunt require treatment from the physios. This is certainly not helping the tempo.
46'
Newcaslte kick off the second half.
Pogrebnyak escapes from the clutches of Mike Williamson down Reading's right but cannot find find strike-partner Noel Hunt. The second half has begun in a similarly sedate fashion to the first.
45'
In the very last action of the half, Reading nearly grab the opening goal. Pogrebnyak takes a cross down on his chest quite brilliantly but just as he is about to pull the trigger, James Perch arrives out of nowhere to nick it away from the Russian.
44'
J. Perch gets yellow.
43'
It's not been a scintillating half but Newcastle youngster Gael Bigirimana has done particularly well on his first Premier League start for the club. Playing in central-midfield, the man signed from Coventry in the summer has acquitted himself comfortably.
40'
This first half seems to be petering out somewhat. There's a distinct lack of confidence in Reading's play, which is perhaps not surprising considering the winless run in the Premier League.
38'
Reading are trying to get Jimmy Kebe on the ball as much as possible but the wideman, on his first league appearance for the Royals this season after he picked up a pre-season injury, is getting no joy out of Toon left-back Davide Santon.
34'
Newcastle just coming back into the half, primarily through Ben Arfa and the mercurial Frenchman has just forced his side's first corner of the afternoon. However, it leads to nothing and Alex McCarthy claims it confidently.
31'
Jem Karacan has a pop from distance that balloons over the bar but at the moment its all Reading. Whenever Newcastle manage to get the ball, it's quickly mopped up by the home defence.
29'
First real sight of goal. A cross deep into the box finds Pavel Pogrebnyak and the big Russian forces Steve Harper to tip his header over the bar. The resulting corner leads to nothing but the home side certainly look more likely to score at the moment.
27'
The game is being played at a really slow pace at the moment. Newcastle look happy soaking up what little pressure Reading are putting them under. Ben Arfa is looking lively though.
23'
Nicky Shorey takes advantage of Hatem Ben Arfa's unwillingness to track back and manages a spectacular volleyed attempt at goal that flies over the bar. Reading just carrying the greater threat.
20'
Papiss Cisse almost forces the ball into the net for Newcastle after a free kick from deep drops invitingly in the Reading box but cannot quite get a connection on it. Even contest so far.
18'
A spell of concerted Reading pressure results in a cross that Steven Taylor clears. Suspicion of a handball from Taylor though. Reading aren't happy.
16'
The ball's out of play as Cheikh Titote, who has only recently just got back from injury for the away side, is in need of treatment.
11'
Ben Arfa with a typically tricky, jinking run that beats two Reading defenders before his cross *just* eludes Demba Ba at the far post
9'
A free kick from Reading's Nicky Shorey looks like it could cause Newcastle's defence problems but Steve Harper does well to punch away.
6'
Scrappy opening really. Both sides taking turns to gift possession away.
1'
Reading kick us off.
Hi all, I'm Adam Mazrani and apologies to the lateness of this play-by-play of Reading v Newcastle starting!
Reading: McCarthy, Shorey, Gorkss, Mariappa, Cummings, McAnuff, Karacan, Leigertwood, Kebe, Hunt, Pogrebnyak
Newcastle: Harper, S Taylor, Williamson, Perch, Santon, Bigirimana, Gutierrez, Tiote, Ben Arfa, Cisse, Ba
Hi all, I'm Adam Mazrani and welcome to Goal.com's play-by-play of Reading v Newcastle.
And there's the half-time whistle. It hasn't been a classic, it's fair to say. Reading have made all the running but just seem to lack a bit of both confidence and quality on the ball. More will be expected from Kebe in the second half for the home side.
Newcastle on the other hand look more than content to go into half-time goalless. You get the feeling that after a couple of away defeats recently, Alan Pardew would happily take a draw away from the Madejski Stadium.
It comes to nothing though and Andre Marriner blows the final whistle almost immediately. That wraps up a second half that starkly contrasted to the first in terms of excitement. Reading will be disappointed not to have taken the three points having taken the lead twice and gone so close late on but in Demba Ba, Newcastle have a striker in form and will be pleased to leave the Madejski with a point.
That wraps everything up however, thanks for reading!
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