Reading FC

McDermott: No intent in Long red card challenge

By Adam Lee
February 13, 2010

Brian McDermott defended striker Shane Long after the Ireland international was given a straight red card in Reading’s 2-2 FA Cup fifth round draw with West Brom.

Long was dismissed in the 48th minute for an over-the-ball challenge on West Brom defender Abdoulaye Meite.

It was a needless tackle by the in-form Royals forward, and one which forced Meite to go off injured, and referee Chris Foy wasted no time in giving Long his marching orders.

The sending off,, Long’s second straight red this season, almost spelled disaster for Reading, as the visitors began to turn the screw with the extra man.

However, when half-time sub Youssuf Mulumbu picked up two yellows within 15 minutes of coming on, it evened things out, and Reading were unfortunate not to book a quarter-final place as Simon Church’s goal was cancelled out by Joe Mattock in the dying stages.

Royals boss McDermot, however, jumped to the defence of Long, insisting there was no vicious intent in the challenge.

“He’s gone for the ball, he’s missed it and he’s half a second late,” said McDermott.

“The ref decided to send him off and that is his prerogative.

“He’s an honest player, he’s not a malicious player so it’s just one of those things

“I don’t know (if it was the right decision) – the referee makes those decisions, I don’t have to.”

Although a draw was probably the fair result, McDermott sent out a full-strength team with the intention of making the last eight for the first time in 83 years.

And although West Brom looked the likely winners when Royals were reduced to 10 men, Reading still went on the offensive, with midfielder Brian Howard immediately sacrificed for Church.

And it was Church who grabbed what looked to be the winner after being put through following a bit of magic from fellow sub Grezgorz Rasiak.

And McDermott was certain that, after Church’s goal, his side had done enough to win it,” he said.

“It’s a great cup competition and we will pick a team every time we play to win it.

“That’s the team we thought could do it against West Brom and I thought we had weathered it and won it.

“We went to win it and changed the system with two up front when we were down to 10 men and I genuinely thought that we had won the game.

“We tried to keep the momentum because we were still trying to win the game, their sending off evened it out a bit, but we were trying to play on the front foot and win the game and we were very close.

“Having said that they’ve got quality in their side and it was great strike for the (equalising) goal and I think West Brom will definitely be in the Premier League next season.

Earlier in the game, Jimmy Kebe had scored Reading’s fastest-ever goal in first-class football after robbing Gianni Zuiverloon and coolly finishing inside 10 seconds.

And McDermott joked that they had been planning on doing so all week in training.

“We worked on that,” he said.

“It was a dream start for us, though.”

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It was a very dirty tackle and from where I was in the North Stand he looked like he fully intended it. Well deserved red card and bad for the team. He's a nasty little player when he wants to be and not half as smart as he thinks he is. He needs to clean up his act and start focusing more on the ball than on the theatrics. Brian shouldn't be defending him.

elsidl, Reading
14/02/2010 at 20:31

Might not of meant it McD - but he left the ground this was not in control therefore Red no question.

Mulumbo (WBA) comedy player two of the easiest yellow card decisions any ref ever had to make!!

Good game - Brave tactics to go fro it by McD and almost paid off and yes Griffin & Mills were brilliant! Shame about defences lack of concentration for the goal!!

Robsy , Reading
14/02/2010 at 16:34

What Long did was indefensible - he was dragging his studs down the WBA player's calf and deserved the red - 100%. It wasn't late, it was with intent - I saw it clearly and completely agree with the ref on this one. Ill discipline like this and getting defended by the Boss will turn out sorry in the end - it always does.

Yet again, the whole team was let down by 4 players just not up to par but overall I thought a lucky and an unlucky result. It was an entertaining game and probably no side deserved to lose that one.

How good is Griffin eh???