D.Sawit’s Match Report — The Ballad Of Sav & A Strip After Reading!
Sunday, 8th May 2011 09:14 by D.Sawit

Robbie was heading off but still had one game to play but a fairytale end was always far away. A performance full of stops and starts that did little to heal our broken black and white hearts.

Reading 2 vs. 1 Derby County

Saturday 6th May 2011

Madejski Stadium - Reading

Referee:

Mr P Miller

Attendance:

21,902 (1,943 Travelling Rams)

Teams:

Reading:

Federici, Mills, Tabb, Leigertwood (Gunnarsson 71), Antonio (Taylor 58), Church, Robson-Kanu, Harte, Cummings, Pearce, Manset (Hunt 78).

Unused Substitutes: Long, Howard, McCarthy, Morrison

Yellow Cards: Tabb

Goals: Harte (24' Penalty), Robson-Kanu (72')

Derby County:

Atkins, Brayford, Anderson, Ayala, Leacock, Savage, Bailey (Doyle 81), Bueno (Hendrick 81), Pearson (B Davies 58), Ward, Ball.

Unused Substitutes: Jones, S Davies, Addison, Porter

Yellow Cards: Savage, Anderson

Goals: Ward (32')

Match Stats:

Possession: Reading 50% - Derby 50%

Shots On Target: Reading 3 – Derby 3

Shots Off Target: Reading 6 – Derby 3

Corners: Reading 6 – Derby 1

Fouls: Reading 8 – Derby 9

Most Fouls: Manset (3) - Savage (2)

Match Report by D.Sawit - The Ballad Of Sav and A Strip After Reading

After a campaign of highs but mainly lows

Our team on a bus to Reading goes

Hopes are high about an injection of youth

Plus its Savs last day – he can expect a serve of abuse

Sav gets a yellow for a tackle that was more than poor

Give him hell Robbie – you will do it no more

Play-off bound Royals rest some stars but still boss the Rams

Soft penalty given when into Church, Anderson gently slams

Hart steps up and takes the kick and baby Atkins guesses right

The ball still sneaks past the boy but crikey it was tight

Derby suddenly awake, Ward scores a screamer from 25 yards

Oh how we have missed this boy since suspended by cards

Jamie goes again from distance but his bullet shot does fail

Ball gets one in the net but offside Pearson denies fairytale

Ayala tries to clear but miss-kicks Antonio out of the game

Hart gets another spot kick but can only find the frame

Half time and the Rams seem a chance to go on and win

And give Sav the send off he deserves before chucking it in

The second half begins and it’s an uninspired affair

Until Davies with a B comes on to add some shooting flair

Twice Ben tries his luck and twice is denied

The story of his season but at least he has tried

The other story of the season has been defending quite poor

And nothing had changed as Robson-Kanu unlocked the door

The Rams were behind and had little left to show

Hendrick and Doyle are injected with not long to go

Young Hendrick could have been a hero but sadly like Ball

No fairytale end as the Royals keeper stood tall

Final whistle does blow putting a season out of its misery

But the flying start turned slippery slide - lingers for you and me

Sav provided a smile as he stripped down to his socks

Boots, Shirt & Shorts came off but thankfully not the jocks

Robbie is gone and so is his spirit and desire

The Rams next season will have to start their own fire

Nigel and Tom must now lead our team from the dark

Only money to buy class will provide required spark

The slate is once again clean and we hope for better times ahead

If not delivered next season, I might take up golf instead.....

Managers Reaction

Nigel Clough speaking to the official DCFC site:

"As we've said for the last few weeks, it is another game that sums up our season. We conceded goals at points in the game where we were on top, which we've done far too often.”

"I didn't think there was too much between the teams to be honest, and we produced some good stuff at times. We will all be better for next season because of the experiences we have been through, both good and bad.”

"We have made no secret of our desire to improve the squad, and hopefully we can go out and get the players we want in the summer. The youngsters we had out on the pitch today did well for us, and that gives us hope for the future too.”

"Our fans were superb once again. They followed us in huge numbers for an end of season game with nothing riding on it, and they were brilliant from start to finish."

"Jamie has been magnificent for us and his goal today was another cracker, it was a bit like the one at Crystal Palace; he caught it very well. He has a habit of getting the ball in space and shooting when the goalkeeper least expects it. He was excellent again today right the way through and we hope to keep him here."

"Robbie has gone out on a high after a good, solid midfield performance. He received a wonderful reception from both sets of supporters and deservedly so; he has been a fantastic professional and we will miss him."

“Hopefully it will be a busy summer for us in the transfer market. We have our targets and we will be moving forwards with those as soon as we can.”

Departing Captain’s Reaction

Robbie Savage was blown away by the Reading fans reaction to him in his final match:

“Reading are my second team after today. I think they gave me the respect that I deserve, it was a big send-off.”

“The team that finishes in sixth place, in this case Nottingham Forest, normally do well in the play-offs. But imagine a Cardiff v Swansea final – wow! The way I was treated today I’d like to see Reading to get that final place.”

“They’re my second team now. I would like to see a Welsh club in the Premier League but I’ll be looking out for Reading from now on. I’ve had stick off both Cardiff and Swansea fans over the years, but after that reaction I would like Reading to go up.”

“That crowd showed some respect to a player that has played at the top for so long.”

“In the past I have thrown my toys out of the pram with Wales and Birmingham, but that is the way I am – all or nothing. I have always given my best and I feel I’m too good to play in League One or League Two.”

“I could have had at least another year, but I don’t want to be a player that has 20 minutes here or 25 minutes there. I don’t want to play next season with people saying he’s finished.”

“I don’t want to be a player that goes on for one too many season, so that’s it for me. There is no coaching or management for me. I have got a lot of things going on and it’s the start of another career where I intend to be the best I can.”