Reading FC made history with full calendar year without win
On Saturday, Reading made history—but not in the good sense.
With 20 games played away from home without a win—a streak spanning 366 days—the team is currently experiencing its worst road run ever.
This comes after the Royals, who are currently 10 points outside of safety in League One, lost 3-2 at Shrewsbury Town after giving up a two-goal lead in stoppage time.
View the games that comprised this historically dismal run, which has produced just two points out of a potential sixty, below.
Birmingham City 2–3 Reading, December 16, 2022
At St Andrews, Troy Deeney took advantage of a mistake by Paul Ince’s team to put the Blues ahead within two minutes, before most fans had an opportunity to find their seats.
He doubled the lead from the penalty spot midway through the first half, while Tahith Chong made it 3-0 10 minutes before the break.
Lucas Joao and Tom Ince made it a tense finale with two goals in the final 10 minutes of the match, but little did supporters realize what was to follow in the next 11 months.
Norwich City 1-1 Reading, December 30, 2022
Some superb saves from Joe Lumley kept Reading in the match at Carrow Road for the final game of 2022.
Adam Idah deservedly put the Canaries ahead shortly after halftime, but Nesta Guinness-Walker earned the Royals a penalty in the final 10 minutes, which was emphatically converted by Andy Carroll.
It would be one of only two points earned on the road in the last calendar year.
West Brom 1-0 Reading, January 2, 2023
It was the first away match of the year, and Reading should have been out of the game within the first 15 minutes, as Lumley was required to make some excellent saves at the Hawthorns.
Daryl Dike eventually got the goal the Baggies deserved, but Reading almost salvaged a late point as Baba Rahman saw a point-blank header rise over the crossbar.
Stoke City 4-0 Reading, January 21, 2023
In the first of a few away-day hammerings, Stoke City tore Reading apart in the second half to heap pressure on Ince.
Will Smallbone opened the scoring early on, but the Potters did not pull away until the second half, when Tyrese Campbell, Jacob Brown, and Dwight Gayle boosted their striking statistics and the Royals capitulated.
Sunderland, 1-0 Reading, February 11, 2023
Reading were on top in the first half at the Stadium of Light but came out determined to preserve a point on Wearside in the second half.
Nearly working, Rahman’s defensive error allowed Patrick Roberts to step in and slam home a late winner to make it a very long and depressing journey home for the supporters.
Cardiff City 1-0 Reading, February 17, 2023
Similar to Sunderland, Reading’s decision to accept the point and focus on defending was to prove their undoing as relegation rivals Cardiff peppered their goal throughout.
Almost getting away with a 0-0 draw, Romaine Sawyers’ deflected effort won the match in stoppage time for Sabri Lamouchi’s Bluebirds.
Middlesbrough, 5-0 Reading, March 4, 2023
Possibly the nadir of Ince’s time in charge, Michael Carrick’s Boro tore the Royals to shreds on Teesside.
Braces for Chuba Akpom and Aaron Ramsey were supplemented by Marcus Forss and became the club’s heaviest away defeat for five years.
Blackburn Rovers 2-1 Reading, March 15, 2023
Play-off chasing Rovers took the lead within two minutes and threatened to add to their advantage throughout, but failed to do so.
Cesare Casadei hauled Reading level in the second half, and Reading were on the ascendancy, but Ryan Hedges stung the Royals late, and Mamadou Loum was sent off to add insult to injury.
Bristol City 1-1 Reading, April 1, 2023
Reading had clear chances to win against the Robins, but chances went begging, and Nigel Pearson’s side took advantage in the first half to go ahead through Tommy Conway.
Lucas Joao’s header earned the Royals a point, one that mattered little when the club were docked six just a few days later.
Preston North End, 2-1 Reading, April 10, 2023
The final nail in Ince’s coffin was sacked the following day.
Kelvin Ehibhatiomhan looked to have earned Reading a point late on, equalizing after Tom Cannon had continued his impressive start to score after half-time.
However, Tyrese Fornah’s scuffed clearance gave the Lilywhites one more opportunity to pile men into the box for a corner, and Brad Potts won it two minutes into stoppage time.
Coventry City 2-1 Reading, April 22, 2023
Play-off side Coventry took the lead through Matt Godden in the first half but failed to hammer home their superiority, with Noel Hunt’s side leveling just five minutes after the break through Joao.
Down to 10 men temporarily due to Jeff Hendrick’s injury, the Sky Blues pushed forward immediately from the restart, and Gustavo Hamer restored the lead within two minutes of the equalizer.
This, coupled with QPR’s late win at title winners Burnley, all but condemned Reading to relegation.
Huddersfield Town 2-0 Reading, May 8
Already relegated by the final day, Neil Warnock’s Terriers eased to a win in Yorkshire.
Josh Koroma and Joseph Hungbo scored in the second half to pull Reading Reading clear and end the season on a sour note.
Port Vale 1-0 Reading; August 12
New season, same away form for Reading, as the Valliants left it late.
Andy Carroll, who cut a frustrated figure on his final outing for the club, missed a first-half penalty, and it was as good as it got for the Royals.
Ben Garrity netted with 20 minutes remaining to avenge their 7-0 defeat to Barnsley just a week previously.
Exeter City 2-1 Reading, August 26, 2023
Another sold-out away following and another stoppage time defeat
Will Aimson put the Grecians deservedly ahead, but Harvey Knibbs scored his first goal for the club on the brink of the break to level the scores.
Reading hit the woodwork twice in the second half, but Reece Cole thundered home a stoppage-time winner in Devon.
Cambridge United 1-0 Reading, September 4, 2023
Fejiri Okenabirhie came off the bench to win the game for the U’s live on Sky Sports.
Both sides had their chances, with the hosts having the more clear-cut opportunities at the Abbey Stadium.
Blackpool 4-1 Reading: September 23, 2023
Veteran Jordan Rhodes scored a hattrick at Bloomfield Road as the Tangerines eased to victory.
Kylian Kouassi also found the net for the hosts, while James Husband scored a late own goal to get Reading on the scoresheet.
Northampton Town 3-1 Reading, October 3, 2023
A horrific October started with another below-par performance and result on the road at Sixfields.
David Button Howlers gifted the Cobblers a two-goal lead at the break. Dom Ballard pulled one back in the second half, but Mitch Pinnock made sure of the win by hitting a late third deep in stoppage time.
Leyton Orient 2-1 Reading, October 7, 2023
Jordan Brown put the O’s ahead in an emotional afternoon at Brisbane Road, coming just days after a supporter tragically passed away during their midweek match against Lincoln City.
Tyler Bindon equalized in the first half, and the sides were both at each other throughout the second period.
Just as it looked like it would be a draw, Button dropped a corner, and George Moncur bundled home a 90th-minute winner.
Charlton Athletic 4-0 Reading, October 21, 2023
Failing to take advantage of their first-half superiority, the in-form Addicks made Reading pay in the second half by plundering four goals.
Chuks Aneke, Tyreece Campbell, Alfie May and Miles Leaburn all scored in the final 35 minutes as the Royals capitulated in front of 2,700 traveling Royals.
Shrewsbury Town 3-2 Reading, November 11, 2023
Perhaps the most frustrating of them all, Reading should have been out of sight in the first half at Croud Meadow, only to concede two in stoppage time to turn victory into defeat.
Sam Smith and Ballard found the net in the first half, while Femi Azeez and Andy Yiadom hit the post in the second half.
Tom Bayliss reduced the lead to just one goal before halftime, before Chey Dunkley and Jason Sraha completed the turnaround in the 91st and 96th minutes.
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