Match ends, Stoke City 0, Reading 0.
Stoke City 0-0 Reading: Goal-shy Potters held by Royals
- From the section Championship
Stoke City were involved in their seventh goalless draw of the season despite dominating against relegation battlers Reading.
City twice hit the woodwork in the opening quarter of an hour as James McClean teed up Tom Ince, who crashed a shot against the post.
And two minutes later Thibaud Verlinden, on his first league start, sent in a pinpoint cross which Sam Vokes headed against the crossbar.
McClean again teed up Vokes to head just wide before forcing Emiliano Martinez into a superb reaction save, while Modou Barrow was inches from meeting Lewis Baker's low cross and giving Reading a late winner.
For all of their efforts and near-misses against the Royals, Stoke have now scored just seven goals in Nathan Jones' first 12 league matches in charge.
The Potters looked likely to improve on this meagre goal tally after their quick start, with McClean and Verlinden continuing to cause plenty of problems on both flanks.
The visitors managed to weather the storm, but showed little attacking threat, with Callum Harriott's tame shot their only shot on target as England goalkeeper Jack Butland chalked up a fourth successive clean sheet.
A sixth draw in a seven-game unbeaten run moved the Potters up a place to 16th, but Wigan's win over Bolton meant Reading dropped to 21st, just a place and point above the relegation zone.
Stoke boss Nathan Jones told BBC Stoke:
"The first half we were excellent, it's just a shame we couldn't get the goal because if we had we would probably have gone on and got a few more.
"We work defensively, but we work far more on our attacking play. We have got some wonderful attacking players in theory so I'm just going to demand a little bit more from them now.
"It's just frustrating that we are not at least even nicking games because I have built my reputation as a very attack-minded manager and at my previous club only Man City scored more goals in three years, so it's a little bit puzzling, but one of those things."
Reading manager Jose Gomes told BBC Berkshire:
"I didn't like the game, it wasn't a beautiful game with the very strong wind. It was impossible football regarding the weather conditions.
"We played against the wind in the first half and Stoke created some chances they could score.
"In the end we could score as well, just at the end, so I think it was a fair result."
Line-ups
Stoke
- 1Butland
- 30Edwards
- 17Shawcross
- 14BatthBooked at 77mins
- 15Martins Indi
- 11McCleanBooked at 90mins
- 4Allen
- 8EteboBooked at 73mins
- 31VerlindenSubstituted forBojanat 80'minutes
- 7InceSubstituted forDioufat 90+1'minutes
- 10VokesSubstituted forAfobeat 70'minutes
Substitutes
- 5Williams
- 9Afobe
- 16Adam
- 18Diouf
- 27Bojan
- 32Federici
- 38Woods
Reading
- 26Martínez
- 3Yiadom
- 19Miazga
- 6Moore
- 24Blackett
- 10SwiftBooked at 73minsSubstituted forLoaderat 89'minutes
- 16Baker
- 15HarriottBooked at 44minsSubstituted forGunterat 62'minutes
- 48OliseSubstituted forBarrowat 62'minutes
- 12McClearyBooked at 62mins
- 21Meite
Substitutes
- 2Gunter
- 4O'Shea
- 5McShane
- 17Barrow
- 28Walker
- 42East
- 43Loader
- Referee:
- Jeremy Simpson
- Attendance:
- 24,368
Match Stats
Home TeamStokeAway TeamReading
- Possession
- Home52%
- Away48%
- Shots
- Home11
- Away8
- Shots on Target
- Home3
- Away1
- Corners
- Home6
- Away2
- Fouls
- Home14
- Away13
Live Text
Full Time
Second Half ends, Stoke City 0, Reading 0.
Foul by Ryan Shawcross (Stoke City).
Yakou Meite (Reading) wins a free kick in the attacking half.
Attempt missed. Garath McCleary (Reading) right footed shot from outside the box misses to the left. Assisted by Yakou Meite.
Offside, Stoke City. Mame Biram Diouf tries a through ball, but Benik Afobe is caught offside.
Substitution
Substitution, Stoke City. Mame Biram Diouf replaces Tom Ince.
Offside, Reading. Lewis Baker tries a through ball, but Matt Miazga is caught offside.
Booking
James McClean (Stoke City) is shown the yellow card for a bad foul.
Foul by James McClean (Stoke City).
Andy Yiadom (Reading) wins a free kick in the attacking half.
Substitution
Substitution, Reading. Danny Loader replaces John Swift.
Attempt saved. Benik Afobe (Stoke City) right footed shot from the centre of the box is saved in the top centre of the goal. Assisted by Peter Etebo.
Corner, Reading. Conceded by Ryan Shawcross.
Foul by Yakou Meite (Reading).
Ryan Shawcross (Stoke City) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
Substitution
Substitution, Stoke City. Bojan replaces Thibaud Verlinden.
Foul by Chris Gunter (Reading).
Joe Allen (Stoke City) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
Booking
Danny Batth (Stoke City) is shown the yellow card for a bad foul.
Yakou Meite (Reading) wins a free kick in the attacking half.
Foul by Danny Batth (Stoke City).
Attempt missed. Thibaud Verlinden (Stoke City) header from the left side of the six yard box is close, but misses to the left. Assisted by James McClean with a cross.
Booking
Peter Etebo (Stoke City) is shown the yellow card.
Booking
John Swift (Reading) is shown the yellow card.
Foul by John Swift (Reading).
Peter Etebo (Stoke City) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
Substitution
Substitution, Stoke City. Benik Afobe replaces Sam Vokes.
Attempt blocked. Tom Ince (Stoke City) right footed shot from the centre of the box is blocked.
Attempt saved. James McClean (Stoke City) left footed shot from the centre of the box is saved in the centre of the goal. Assisted by Thomas Edwards with a cross.
Foul by John Swift (Reading).
Joe Allen (Stoke City) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
Andy Yiadom (Reading) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
Foul by Tom Ince (Stoke City).
Substitution
Substitution, Reading. Modou Barrow replaces Michael Olise.
Substitution
Substitution, Reading. Chris Gunter replaces Callum Harriott.
Booking
Garath McCleary (Reading) is shown the yellow card for a bad foul.
Foul by Garath McCleary (Reading).
Peter Etebo (Stoke City) wins a free kick in the attacking half.
Attempt missed. John Swift (Reading) right footed shot from outside the box is high and wide to the right. Assisted by Michael Olise.
