Reading 2-1 Everton

Adam Le Fondre scored twice as
Reading came from 1-0 down to beat
Everton 2-1 at the Madejski Stadium for
their first Premier League win of the
season.
The Toffees started the game much like
the hosts, opening the scoring in the
10th minute when Steven Naismith
poked the ball past Adam Federici
following a comedy of defensive errors
which saw the Royals fail to clear on
several occasions.
Prior to that goal Everton's Nikica
Jelavic was kicking himself for not
having more composure in the box
when the ball fell kindly to him,
however the unmarked striker lashed
an audacious scissor kick well over the
bar.
David Moyes' men may also feel hard
done by following the final whistle
after two penalty claims were waved
away in the first half.
The first came when Naismith turned
into the area leading to a Kaspars
Gorkss late challenge, however Martin
Atkinson saw nothing wrong with the
Latvian's mis-timed lunge.
Moments later, what appeared a
fantastic block to deny Jelavic turned
out to be a Sean Morrison handball as
the Royals continued to ride their luck
going into half-time.
However, Brian McDermott's interval
team talk must have done the trick as
Reading stepped up a gear and Nicky
Shorey fed the hungry Le Fondre for a
header of the highest class into Tim
Howard's top corner in the 51st
minute.
It was an inspired move by McDermott
to re-introduce Le Fondre for Noel
Hunt, who had to be content with a
place on the bench, as the strike
proved to be problematic for Everton's
back four which was missing skipper
Phil Neville.
Hal Robson-Kanu, who started in place
of Garath McCleary, was more than a
handful for Leighton Baines and it
proved to be a feisty battle down
Reading's right-hand side throughout.
Jason Roberts and Le Fondre kept
combining well with Everton having to
call upon Seamus Coleman to come
across and nick the ball from the
goalscorer's feet in a last-ditch tackle.
Le Fondre's persistence up front finally
paid off on 79 minutes when he
attempted to chest the ball down in
the box and was rashly challenged by
Coleman in the back, giving Atkinson
little option but to award the penalty.
The striker dusted himself off to take
the spot-kick and drilled it down the
middle of the goal with Howard diving
to his left.
Marouane Fellaini could have levelled
the game for the visitors just minutes
after Reading's second but luck was on
the hosts' side once more as the
Belgian's header cannoned back off
the bar and into Federici's arms,
helping Reading to claim a priceless
three points and a first win of the
season.