Reading 0-0 QPR: Match Report
Reading 0-0 QPR: Match Report - view commentary, squad, and statistics of the game as it happened.
Royals and Rangers relegated
Reading and QPR were both relegated from the Barclays Premier League after a 0-0 draw at the Madejski Stadium.
In a game bereft of quality both sides were guilty of wasting the few chances that fell their way as they both bowed out of the top flight with a whimper.
A win for either would have kept them mathematically in the hunt for survival and relegated the losers, whereas the draw condemned both clubs to the npower Championship.
Reading boss Nigel Adkins had remained positive ahead of the game while his QPR counterpart Harry Redknapp had seemingly already accepted his side's fate and both will now spend the summer building teams to fight for promotion straight back into the Premier League.
Reading arguably started the better of two sides who were obviously nervous but they could not test QPR goalkeeper Robert Green.
The visitors got back into the game and both Jermaine Jenas and Esteban Granero went close to putting Rangers ahead, with the latter clipping the crossbar from a free-kick.
While their fans vented their anger at former manager Mark Hughes the QPR players were still trying to prise open the Reading defence.
Stephane Mbia played a perfect ball into Jay Bothroyd whose lofted effort beat Alex McCarthy but dropped just wide of the post.
With half an hour on the clock Reading had still yet to force Green into a noticeable save.
But the former England goalkeeper had a scare as Jobi McAnuff chased a weak pass back from Jose Bosingwa and Green's kick hit the on-rushing Reading captain before flying behind for a goal-kick.
Adel Taarabt side-footed wide from outside of the box before Bothroyd's clever backheel found Armand Traore, whose shot was deflected wide.
Seven minutes before the break Adrian Mariappa and Pavel Pogrebnyak almost bundled Reading into the lead but QPR kept the ball out through a combination of Green and Bosingwa.
McAnuff then stung the palms of Green on the stroke of half-time with the Royals enjoying a rare spell in the ascendancy.
Taarabt had another great opportunity to put Redknapp's side ahead after he exchanged passes with Loic Remy seven minutes after the re-start but he fluffed his lines.
The Morocco international was guilty of placing another shot wide moments later with Adkins introducing Hal Robson-Kanu from the bench in his search to unlock the QPR defence.
Pogrebnyak was almost the man to break the deadlock for Reading as he picked up McAnuff's pass before cutting inside Bosingwa and bending an effort inches wide of Green's post.
The home supporters had been singing the name of leading goalscorer Adam Le Fondre throughout the game and he was introduced with 25 minutes remaining as Garath McCleary made way.
But it was Pogrebnyak who again wasted a chance as he headed Chris Gunter's cross into the ground and safely into Green's hands. Redknapp freshened up his side with Junior Hoilett and Fabio coming off the bench as the game started to open up.
Jenas blazed two shots wide before Le Fondre headed over from close range with both sides looking to prolong their top-flight status for at least another day.
Green tipped a later Sean Morrison header over the bar and Bothroyd forced McCarthy into a smart low save but neither team provided a moment of class to collect all three points with both clubs sharing the spoils and the heartache of relegation.
Source : http://www.football.co.uk/reading/reading_0-0_qpr__match_report_rss4079857.shtml