Patrick Roberts’ brace helps Sunderland to end Reading’s unbeaten home record
Posted Thursday, September 15, 2022 by PA
Reading lost their 100 per cent home league record as they fell to a comprehensive 3-0 defeat to Sunderland.
The Black Cats dominated most of the first half without creating too much until Patrick Roberts struck with two goals in as many minutes just before the interval.
Jack Clarke effectively settled the issue in the 69th minute, latching onto a superb Dan Neil cross to slot home.
Reading had won all their previous four league games at the SCL Stadium and had also won four of their past five Sky Bet Championship outings.
Sunderland had collected 11 points from their opening eight fixtures in the second tier.
New head coach Tony Mowbray, who replaced Alex Neil late last month, had overseen a win and a loss in his two games in charge.
A minute’s silence as a mark of respect to the Queen was impeccably observed before kick-off, with the national anthem following.
Sunderland began brightly, but without injured five-goal top scorer Ross Stewart struggled to make any headway into the home area.
A swift, promising break from Reading ended with Jeff Hendrick supplying a poor pass to Andy Yiadom and the chance went begging.
Sunderland responded with Neil volleying wildly over – the first shot of any description in the match after 23 minutes.
Mamadou Loum nodded straight at visiting goalkeeper Anthony Patterson from a Junior Hoilett corner before Roberts pounced twice before the break.
He cut in from the right – after being released by substitute Elliot Embleton – in the 39th minute and curled a clever effort past Reading goalkeeper Joe Lumley.
It was a similar finish two minutes later, with Roberts beating Lumley for the second time with a low drive into the bottom left-hand corner of the net.
Roberts was clearly in the mood for a hat trick and, early in the second half, he again drifted in from the right flank. On this occasion, though, his attempt lacked power and Lumley saved easily.
Reading replied from a Tom Ince free-kick but, after Sunderland had failed to clear it properly, Tyrese Fornah blazed well off target.
While the visitors had been mostly content to sit back and protect their lead, they were still dangerous on the break.
And so it proved again in the 69th minute when Neil provided the perfect crossfield ball for Clarke to sweep past Lumley.
Reading had little answer towards the end, with Sunderland holding on comfortably for their fourth victory of the campaign.
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