Reading 5-2 Huddersfield (Third Round)

19 January 2016

Reading met Huddersfield in an FA Cup third round replay, with the original tie having finished 2-2. Huddersfield raced into a two goal lead after just 15 minutes with goals from Jamie Paterson and Tommy Smith, but the game was turned on its head when Jonathan Hogg was sent off for a last man challenge on Matej Vydra. Lucas Piazon scored the resulting free-kick to halve the deficit.

Reading ran rampart in the second-half. Vydra scored twice in four minutes to edge Reading ahead. First, in the 57th minute, he volleyed home precisely after Joe Murphy had saved from Hal Robson-Kanu and then from close range he tucked in a low cross from substitute Ola John.

Vydra later got on the end of Oliver Norwood’s through ball and with just Murphy to beat he slotted the ball past the Terriers’ goalkeeper. Alex Fernandez then made it 5-2 with a long range effort, deep into added on time.

Reading would make it to the sixth round of the FA Cup that year before crashing out of the competition to Crystal Palace.

Reading 3-0 Bradford (Quarter Final)

16 March 2015

The Royals faced Bradford knowing that a win would secure the club’s first semi-final appearance since 1927. Both sides had played out a goalless draw in the first meeting at Valley Parade, a scrappy match on a shredded pitch.

But there would be no repeat of that as Hal Robson Kanu got Reading off to a flyer when he headed in Garath McCleary’s corner. The Jamaican then made it 2-0 after just nine minutes with a deflected effort.

In the second-half, Filipe Morais was sent off for Bradford for a high challenge on Nathaniel Chalobah, and Jamie Mackie put the icing on the cake when he got on the end of Chalobah’s through ball to send the Royals to Wembley.

Reading’s magnificent cup run would end at Wembley that year as they lost 2-1 against Arsenal thanks to Alexis Sanchez’s double. However, Reading fans will ultimately remember McCleary’s goal which sparked wild scenes from the 40,000+ supporters who were at Wembley that day.

West Brom 2-3 Reading (Fifth Round)

24 February 2010

Having defeated both Liverpool and Burnley in previous rounds of the competition, Reading faced West Brom at the Hawthorns. In the previous meeting Reading had drawn 1-1 at the Madjeski Stadium, with Jimmy Kebe scoring one of the fastest ever goals in Royals’ history.

Robert Koren opened the scoring six minutes into the replay after slamming home on the rebound. Kebe then equalised three minutes later when the Malian tapped home after Brian Howard had seen a shot saved by Scott Carson.

However, Koren put the Baggies back in front at the beginning of the second-half, after Adam Federici made a horrific mistake. But Reading didn’t give up and they got an equalising goal thanks to Brian Howard’s side foot finish deep into injury-time.

Gylfi Sigurdsson then scored the winner five minutes into extra time with a stunning strike to send the Royals through to their first FA Cup quarter-final in 83 years.

Sadly, the cup run would end in the sixth round, as the Royals would end up losing to Aston Villa 4-2, bringing down the curtain on Reading’s hopes of making it to the semi-finals.

Liverpool 1-2 Reading (Third Round)

13 January 2010

Reading shocked Liverpool as the Royals won for the first time ever at Anfield. The original game had finished 1-1 with the Royals unlucky not to win at the Madejski Stadium.

Liverpool went in front just before half-time when Ryan Bertrand turned the ball into his own net. However, Reading kept on pressing for an equaliser in the second-half, and finally got an opportunity in the dying moments when Shane Long was fouled in the penalty area and the referee pointed to the spot.

Photo by Peter Byrne/PA Images via Getty Images

Gylfi Sigurdsson stepped up and tucked the ball into the bottom right corner with Liverpool goalkeeper Diego Cavalieri going the wrong way. The game was turned on its head five minutes into extra time when Brynjar Gunnarsson nutmegged Emiliano Insua on the right, before sending over a pinpoint cross that Shane Long glanced into the Liverpool net from six yards.

It was enough to secure a memorable win for the Royals, a result that would lead to the appointment of Brian McDermott as the permanent Reading manager.

Reading 0-1 Tottenham (Third Round)

15 January 2008

Reading’s last defeat in an FA Cup replay came 10 years ago as the Royals lost to Tottenham during their Premier League days under Steve Coppell.

The two sides had first met at the Madejski Stadium with the original tie finishing 2-2 - braces from Stephen Hunt and Dimitar Berbatov cancelling each other out. Interestingly, that game had come only a matter of days after another goal fest at White Hart Lane. We’re sure you can remember the one we’re talking about.

Photo by Clive Rose/Getty Images

Robbie Keane scored the winner 15 minutes into the match when he thumped in the rebound after Younes Kaboul’s headed effort hit the bar. Reading were unable to create any good chances which saw them crash out of the competition.

That campaign would ultimately end in heartbreak in the league, with Reading sent down on the last day of the season on goal difference. Perhaps a longer cup run could have Spurred the Royals on to stay up?