Bikey has Royals heading for safety
by Ben Blackmore, 22 March 2008
Andre Bikey stood tall to drag Reading five points clear of the relegation zone with arguably their biggest three points of the season, beating Birmingham 2-1 at The Madejski.
The Cameroon international rose powerfully in either half to head The Royals to victory, and Birmingham can have little to complain about after they were second best all afternoon.
Mauro Zarate looked like he may have snatched them a point with a second half equaliser, but fittingly the excellent Stephen Hunt delivered the cross from which Bikey netted the winner.
Alex McLeish may just rue his decision to leave Martin Taylor, available again after his suspension for the tackle on Eduardo, at home - after Radhi Jaidi had a nightmare afternoon dealing with Bikey's power.
The big team news ahead of the game surrounded Birmingham’s in-form front man James McFadden, who was prevented from adding to his four goals in the last five games due to injury.
As a result, Argentinian skillster Zarate was granted a rare start, while Sebastian Larsson shook off a knee injury in time to feature.
Reading's only change saw top scorer Dave Kitson come in for the strop-throwing Shane Long, and the return of the flame-haired striker inspired a fine first half display from Steve Coppell’s men.
On this showing it is hard to believe that The Royals are battling against relegation as they posed a threat from either wing, with Hunt a particular eye-catcher on the left flank.
It was the shaggy-haired Republic of Ireland international who created the game’s first chance inside two minutes, sending in a low cross that Jaidi had to intercept with Kevin Doyle lurking four yards from goal.
If Doyle thought he was about to score then, he most definitely should have converted from all of two yards moments later, but while he stumbled, twisted and stabbed at the ball Liam Ridgewell retreated to the goal-line to thwart Reading’s out-of-form striker.
Birmingham had not come to defend but their attacks were sporadic due to the vibrancy of Reading’s midfield. Mikael Forssell shouldered the majority of the dirty work as Zarate buzzed in and out of the game, and Gary McSheffrey should have capitalised, bursting onto the Finn’s lay-off, into the box, only to drill wide of the far post.
It would have been harsh on the home side though who were driven on by Hunt, the diminutive Duracell-bunny of a midfielder putting in a real shift before Sunday’s egg-delivering duties – excuse the poor Easter reference.
Picking up the ball inside his own half on the half hour, Hunt drove at the Birmingham defence before lining up a rasping 25-yarder that Maik Taylor touched onto the bar.
The former Sunderland target was popping up everywhere and clearly Larsson had not prepared himself for such an unsettling afternoon as he conceded a free kick out on the left for high feet.
Larsson complained (without turning his back on Mike Riley), Oster delivered the inswinger and Bikey rose majestically to glance home the opener. Goal Reading! And well deserved too.
Now the pressure was on Birmingham to reply, but they only managed one suggestion of an equaliser before the break, Forssell poking wide inside a congested penalty area.
McLeish would have hoped to affect matters at the interval, but it was Reading who continued to look the more dangerous, Doyle cutting back from the byline only for Oster to lean back and fire over.
Oster, booed off at Liverpool last week, then had every right to feel aggrieved as Mike Riley waved away his penalty protests for handball, after David Murphy’s arm had clearly blocked the wideman’s cross from the right.
It would prove a big decision as Birmingham levelled two minutes later, Forssell showing once again that he has some of the tightest control in The Premier League as he spun Ivar Ingimarsson, and while Bikey stood motionless Zarate nipped in to tuck away his first goal for the club.
McLeish smelt three points, throwing on Garry O’Connor to form a front three, and he should have been rewarded when Forssell chested down, Reading’s back four yelled offside but the Finn was on and Marcus Hahnemann was forced into a crucial point-blank save.
There are moments on which games turn. This was one such moment. Play swiftly moved down the other end, substitute Long was cynically hacked down, and for the second time Bikey showed greater desire than Jaidi to meet Hunt’s inswinging delivery – powering Reading to a vital three points.