Kitson throws fumbling Reading a lifeline

By Rick Cowdery

Dave Kitson bundled home a corner in the second minute of injury-time to earn a Reading side totally outclassed for the opening 45 minutes, a remarkable point at Home Park.

Dave Kitson bundled home a corner in the second minute of injury-time to earn a Reading side totally outclassed for the opening 45 minutes, a remarkable point at Home Park.

Earlier, an own goal apiece, sandwiched by a fifth goal of the season from Plymouth's Scottish international striker Stevie Crawford had given Argyle the edge in a pulsating contest between two of the Championship's less fashionable teams.

Argyle manager Bobby Williamson, a big Glasgow bear of a man, has made little attempt to hide his liking for a little squad rotation. Paul Wotton, restored, Argyle weighed into a thoroughly shambolic Reading, and could have been several goals to the good before Ivar Ingimarsson inadvertently deflected Micky Evans's header past the erratic Reading goalkeeper Marcus Hahnemann.

Reading's only consolation at this stage was that they were not utterly dead and buried, so it was something of a shock when they cobbled together an attack which ended with Argyle's French goalkeeper Romain Larrieu acrobatically turning aside Kitson's header with his size-12 left boot.

The chance gave Reading some impetus and the game was much more of a contest until Argyle centre-back Matthias Doumbe launched a high ball that landed on Evans's toes, and, although the veteran could not finish himself, Crawford mopped up the loose ball.

Reading raised their game after the interval and Graham Coughlan stooped to head Nicky Shorey's free-kick past his own keeper. The Royals finished the game as strongly as they had begun it, weakly, but Kitson struck in the second minute of added time.

Plymouth Argyle (4-4-2): Larrieu; Worrell, Doumbe, Coughlan, Gilbert; Norris, Wotton, Friio (Adams, 75), Lasley (Makel, 89); Crawford, Evans (Milne, 90). Substitutes not used: Lowndes, Hodges.

Reading (4-4-2): Hahnemann; Murty, Sonko, Ingimarsson, Shorey; Little, Sidwell, Harper, Convey (Morgan, 64); Kitson, Owusu. Substitutes not used: Young (gk), Savage, Newman, Brooker.

Referee: A Wiley (Burntwood).