Reading 0
Portsmouth 0

The Royals took a point from Portsmouth at Madejski Stadium this afternoon in what was a rather disappointing game.

Neither side played particularly well, but Reading were on top in the first half, and Linvoy Primus was inches away from an own goal as he got back in to prevent Leroy Lita from taking a great chance.

Then a couple of superb challenges from Sol Campbell snuffed out excellent opportunities as Reading put together a couple of lovely moves.

Portsmouth came back into the game though, and Ivar Ingimarsson put in a great tackle to deny Gary O'Neil.

Reading fans were incensed when ref Steve Bennett denied James Harper a great chance on the hour, pulling play back for a very harsh decision against Leroy Lita.

Richard Hughes then hit the post with a 30-yarder, but the second half was a turgid affair as both teams continually gave possession away.

Greg Halford came on in the dying seconds for his Royals debut, but overall it was a forgettable encounter, although the point keeps Reading on track for an excellent finish in their first-ever Premiership season.

Reading (4-4-2): Hahnemann, Murty (c), Shorey, Duberry, Ingimarsson; Harper, Sidwell, Little (Oster 84), Hunt (Halford 89); Kitson, Lita (Doyle 76)
Subs: Federici, Gunnarsson
Booked: Shorey

Portsmouth (4-5-1): James; Johnson, Stefanovic (c), Campbell, Primus; Hughes, Mvuemba, O'Neil, Kranjcar (Taylor 89), Benjani; Kanu
Subs: Ashdown, Traore, Cole, LuaLua
Booked: Stefanovic

Ref: S Bennett (Kent)

Attendance: 24,087

Full report
The Royals got in three great crosses in the first minute to put Pompey under real pressure, and the visitors were all at sea.

With only three minutes gone Leroy Lita had a great chance after Glen Johnson's terrible header, but it never quite sat down for him and Linvoy Primus stabbed a clearance inches wide of his own post.

Pompey then got a foothold, and debutant Arnold Mvuemba put a decent chance wide from 18 yards.

Harry Redknapp's team did not look comfortable at the back, with the Royals, and Stephen Hunt in particular, putting in a series of great crosses that gave the visitors real problems.

We still had some defending to do though, and Ivar Ingimarsson put in a great tackle to deny Gary O'Neil when one-on-one.

Reading were enjoying plenty of possession, but Portsmouth were still able to create the odd chance, and Gary O'Neil was inches away with a brilliantly-struck 25 yard volley.

After a quiet period, Reading carved out a chance with a brilliant move involving Nicky Shorey, Lita and then Hunt. The Irishman's low cross gave Dave Kitson a good sight of goal, and only some impressive defending from Sol Campbell prevented what would have been a superb goal.

Kitson was at the heart of another sensational move down the left, but again Campbell cut out the cross. From Hunt's resulting corner Sidwell got up really well but headed inches wide.

Second half
Reading gifted Portsmouth a couple of sights of goal early in the period, firstly when Marcus Hahnemann miskicked and then when Duberry did the same, but on both occasions O'Neil was crowded out.

Ref Steve Bennett incurred the wrath of the home fans just before the hour when he gave a foul against Lita as James Harper went through one-on-one. The decision looked rather generous, and Lita made barely any contact as the mountainous Campbell went to ground.

It was all rather scrappy, and it seemed that the first goal would be absolutely vital as neither side was playing especially well. Passes were going astray at every turn, and neither side could put together any moves of note.

Hahnemann an excellent save at his left post to keep out Benjain's rasper. Hunt had a decent chance with 25 minutes to go as it dropped to him from a corner, but he shot wide from ten yards.

Portsmouth were desperately close to scoring on 70, but Niko Kranjcar's free kick went just a foot wide.

Kevin Doyle came on for the last 15 minutes or so in at attempt to liven up what had become a poor game. He was immediately involved, allowing Glen Little to put in a cross that was inches away from Kitson.

Richard Hughes was desperately unlucky not to score from fully 30 yards, smashing in a brilliant effort from 30 yards, only to see it crash off the post with Hahnemann well beaten.

Both teams huffed and puffed in the final few minutes, but neither side could create a chance and the result was fair.