Reading 0-0 Norwich

Reading are still searching for their first
Premier League win of the season after
their clash with Norwich at the
Madejski Stadium ended in a goalless
draw.
Chances were at a premium in the first
half with only one save of note made
be either goalkeeper, John Ruddy
parrying a fierce drive from Garath
McCleary, and despite a fairly frantic
final 30 minutes, neither side could find
a winner.
After a slow start by the hosts their
greatest threat came from set pieces
but despite a string of corners and
free-kicks they could not find a way
through a determined Norwich
defence.
McCleary went closest when he
pounced on a loose ball and stung
Ruddy's palms from 25 yards while
Michael Turner almost helped out the
visitors when he turned a low Jason
Roberts cross narrowly past his own
post.
Robert Snodgrass and Wes Hoolahan
provided the impetus for much of
Norwich's attacking play but neither
managed to call Adam Federici into
action in the Reading goal and their
best chance fell to Bradley Johnson but
he blazed wildly over.
It was a similar pattern after the restart
as Reading won a series of set pieces
which came to nothing and Norwich
showing some craft and guile in the
middle of the park with no end
product but the game sprang to life on
the hour.
Grant Holt just failed to get on the end
of a decent cross from Hoolahan
before steering a shot wide from
another delivery from the same source
while Sean Morrison headed narrowly
wide from Nicky Shorey's dangerous
free-kick.
Jobi McAnuff then cut in from the left
flank and curled inches over the
crossbar to spark a good spell for the
hosts which saw Jimmy Kebe's cross
bounce to safety off the bar with Pavel
Pogrebnyak poised to head in.
Kaspars Gorkss just got enough on a
cross from Javier Garrido to put Holt
off his header while Kebe forced
Ruddy to save at his near post after a
lightning break from the hosts.
Snodgrass and Holt wasted headed
chances from Anthony Pilkington
crosses either side of a 25-yard effort
from the midfielder which was rising
over from the moment it left his boot.
A stoppage-time break from Alexander
Tettey was the last real chance but he
was forced out to the flank and Federici
watched calmly as his wild shot flew
well wide.