NK Celje 1 (Zajc 60)Reading 0The Royals were edged out 1-0 by NK Celje this eveining in the final friendly of our Slovenian training camp. The result was rather harsh on the Royals, who gave everything in search of a goal but just could not find a way through.
We had good chances in the first half and also just before Celje scored, but Gorazd Zajc's strike on the hour proved decisive. The home side were a little rough in protecting their lead in the closing stages, seeing Dragutin Golob sent off with a little more than ten minutes to go, and they could easily have had another dismissed.
We had almighty scrambles just before half time and also right on the final whistle, while James Henry had a couple of good sights of goal late on but it just wouldn't go for him.
Brian McDermott will naturally be disappointed with the result, but he will be very pleased with the effort and application tonight and throughout the tour.
A fantastic ball from the impressive Jem Karacan nearly gave Jimmy Kebe an early sight of goal, but some desperate defending prevented the Malian winger from getting his shot away.
Next to try his luck was Jobi McAnuff, stinging the 'keeper's palms from outside the area, before Alex Pearce tried his luck with a header from a corner but saw it go wide.
Karacan then shot over on the angle, before the unfortunate Julian Kelly went off injured, the ever-dependable and increasingly prominent Jake Taylor on in his place.
Celje were posing the odd threat, but in the 15 minutes before half time Reading further upped the tempo. The home goal led a charmed life during one goalmouth scramble, and it was a mystery how they kept out efforts from Marcus Williams and Shane Long in the space of seconds. From the resulting corner, that man Karacan showed superb technique to work a shooting chance but the 'keeper thwarted him once again.
At the start of the second period Reading continued in the same vein, and fantastic work from Kebe down the right allowed him to dance past three men, but his cross just wouldn't sit down for Gylfi Sigurdsson and then Long.
Ben Hamer had to make a good save from a rare Celje attack before Karacan caught the eye again, winning possession back in a great area and slipping in Kebe down the left. His low cross almost gave Long a golden chance, but a defender just about did enough and the chance went slipping by.
Then, right on the hour mark, Celje took the lead, a chipped ball allowing
Gorazd Zajc to run through and finish well as he just got there before the onrushing Ben Hamer.
Reading tried desperately to look for a quick response, and a couple of almighty scrambles ensued. Henry had the best chance but couldn't get Antonio's cross out of his feet.
Sub Henry also got into a good position but stabbed a misdirected shot wide when Simon Church was screaming loudly for a square ball. Michail Antonio soon won possession in a good area for the Royals, and he tried to find a man in the middle but the home defence did enough.
Hal Robson-Kanu was causing real problems down the left, and two fouls on him from Dragutin Golob saw their right back dismissed with a little over ten minutes left. It was perhaps a little unusual to see a red card in a pre-season friendly but both were clear fouls.
Reading were trying desperately for an equaliser, but Celje were guilty of some questionable tactics as they protected their lead. Jay Tabb claimed an elbow, and was then pushed by the same player, and players from both sides got involved as the referee lost a little of his grip
Despite the clear disappointment of defeat, our players went over to our supporters at full time, with a couple of shirts going into the waiting crowd.
It was disappointing to lose, but we gave our all and have worked very hard on a productive and enjoyable trip. Now the preparations come back to England when we take on Wycombe at Adams Park on Saturday.
Reading (4-2-3-1): Hamer; Kelly (Taylor 28), Williams (Griffin 61), Gunnarsson (c) (Mills 61), Pearce; Karacan (Howard 61), Tabb, Kebe (Antonio 61), McAnuff (Robson-Kanu 61); Sigurdsson (Henry 61); Long (Church 61)
Sub: Andersen
Booked: Mills (foul 86)
