Reading - 0
Crystal Palace - 3 (Johnson 39. 90. Routledge 42.)

It was only half an hour before the match started that Kit Symons found out that he would not be leading the side in the future. The rumours had been flying thick and fast that Palace would have a new man at the helm come Monday, and Iain Dowie looked odds-on to be that man. Even so, Kit was determined to go out with a bang, and being banned from taking part in this match was not going to stop him leading from the dug-out.

Palace got the first half underway, and it was Neil Shipperley who got the first strike at goal, his header going just wide of the mark. John Salako then got a cross on goal, but Thomas Myhre was well up to things, cutting out any danger for Palace. Julian Gray sent in the next cross, with Andy Johnson getting a header in that went just over the top of the bar, and almost immediately at the other end Nicky Forster was caught offside. Reading won a corner that was fired in by Kevin Watson, though the effort was easily cleared by the Palace defence. Rob Edwards conceded a corner as he cleared a cross that came in from Forster, but the set piece was wasted by the Reading attack before AJ fired a shot at goal that went wide of the post once more. Tony Popovic cleared the next chance, and play settled down once more.

Nicholas Shorey cleared a free kick sent in by Danny Butterfield before Julian sent in a cross for Palace that went sailing out of play. Andy Hughes was caught offside, and then Wayne Routledge tried a shot that went sailing past the left hand post. Neil hit the woodwork as he tried to steer the ball home from a cross that came in from Danny, and shortly after Danny was back on his own goal line to clear chances to the Reading side.

Julian took the next corner to Palace, but once again the chance was wasted, and as Palace won another corner, courtesy of Wayne, Michael Hughes fired in a cross that was well cleared by Marcus Hahnemann. A corner to Reading was cleared by Tony and Steven Sidwell cleared a cross that was sent in by Danny. Salako tried a shot that Thomas did well to hang on to and AJ tried another shot that was only kept out by the feet of the keeper. At least we seemed to be getting a little closer each time we got the ball up the other end.

Michael sent in a cross that was cleared by Sidwell, but then Aki Riihilahti got the ball through to AJ with a good cross to his left, and from only a short distance out AJ chested the ball down and sent in a rasping shot off his left foot that went under the despairing keeper. 1-0 up, and only about five minutes to go to half time, things were looking good, though better was to follow.

AJ made a good run up the right hand side of the field following a cross from Michael, and as Wayne ran into the centre he sent in a perfect cross that Wayne hit right footed first time, denying the keeper any chance, and doubling the lead. So, 2-0 up, and only a couple of minutes to go to the half time whistle. What more could we ask for? Rob Edwards saved the day right on half time, by making a couple of good clearances, and the sides marched off for the break, with the Palace fans by far the happier of the two camps.

Reading kicked off in the second half, and Basir Savage was caught offside, and play seemed to be going nowhere for quite a while before Savage hit a good shot at goal that Thomas managed to pluck out of the air, to save any embarrassment to Palace. AJ got the ball through to Neil, who saw his header sail over the top of the bar, and Reading's Hughes hit a shot that went well wide of the mark. Danny conceded a corner from a Salako effort, but the corner kick resulted in Shorey sending the ball over the bar once more. Rob and Tony continued putting in a fine performance to deny the Reading strikers, and then Neil tried a shot from distance that the keeper could only parry behind for a corner. Julian fired the corner in, and Tony headed the ball over the top once more.

Savage was again caught offside before the same happened to Forster, and then Julian took a free kick that went to the right of the upright. A corner to Palace saw Julian again fire the ball into the centre, and this time Neil sent the ball towards the goal, the Reading defence just managing to scramble the ball to safety. Wayne was the next player caught offside, and Palace won another corner, which was wasted once again. Gary Borrowdale fired in a cross that was well taken by the keeper, and Reading, having already substituted Scott Murray for John Mackie, decided to make a second change, Salako giving way to Dean Morgan.

Forster tried a shot that went wide of the post once again, and Wayne tried a shot that went the same way. A corner to Reading went nowhere near our danger area, and then Hughes fired in a shot that Thomas held on to quite easily. Morgan tried a strike on goal that Thomas once again hung on to, and Murray tried a shot that our keeper turned away for a corner. That chance also went begging, and time was rapidly running out.

Palace made their only change for the match with Michael being replaced by Shaun Derry, and within moments the board was up showing that three minutes of added on time was to be played. Murray crossed the ball into our area, but Tony was on hand to avert the danger, and as the final seconds went by Shaun got on the end of a thumping clearance by Thomas. He picked out AJ, who was unmarked by his defender, and as he ran at goal he held off the attention of another defender and slotted the ball home to make the scoreline read 3-0 to Palace.

There was but a couple of kicks left in the game, and Kit would have been pleased by the performance of his side, even if he was to relinquish responsibility in the future. If the players were playing well to "impress" the new boss, then they were to be disappointed, as Iain was not at the ground, but he is sure to read a report or two on the game. As to the fate of our management team, well Kit will obviously go back to being one of the squad of players, and it remains to be seen just what happens with Stuart Gray's future.

Colin Pryce

Reading: Marcus Hahnemann, Nicholas Shorey, Steve Brown, John Mackie (Scott Murray 63), Ivar Ingimarsson, John Salako (Dean Morgan 75), Steven Sidwell, Andy Hughes, Kevin Watson, Basir Savage, Nicky Forster.

Substitutes not used: Ricky Newman, Jamie Young, James Harper.

Crystal Palace: Thomas Myhre, Danny Butterfield, Tony Popovic, Rob Edwards, Gary Borrowdale, Michael Hughes (Shaun Derry 88), Aki Riihilahti, Julian Gray, Wayne Routledge, Andrew Johnson, Neil Shipperley.

Substitutes not used: Cedric Berthelin, Curtis Fleming, Tommy Black, Dougie Freedman.

Attendance: 12,743

Referee: Mr B Curson