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Chelsea seal the game at the end despite dominating
Doyle was awarded for his performance with the Man Of The Match award.
Chelsea recorded their third win out of three in the Premiership campaign this season, and under Avram Grant. They dominated Reading through out the game. Reading however took the lead with a Kevin Doyle goal in the fifty first minute. A Hahnemann blunder minutes later pulled the game back to 1-1. Gareth Barry had the honours of taking a ninetyth minute penalty for Chelsea and slotted the ball into the top right corner to win the match.
Chelsea travelled to the Madejski Stadium with full confidence after a great start to the season. Unfortunately when they arrived there were problems. Joe Cole, who had been given the all clear in his fitness test before they left, tripped over during the pre-match warm up and was taken off. Ricardo Carvalho also received a nudge in the warm up and was the second man to be taken out.
Thanks to Avram Grant's back up plan of taking two extra players as the "reserves" in the match, they replaced Cole and Carvalho. Them two being Alex and John Obi Mikel.
Chelsea in the end made five changes to the team that hammered both Aston Villa and Man City. Joaqun, Ashley Cole, Frank Lampard and Alex all made the starting line up. Ashley Cole took his primary role as full back which moved Gareth Barry to the centre of midfield along with Frank Lampard. Joaqun started on the right wing and Alex was in the centre of defence, replacing Carvalho.
Chelsea kicked off the match and wasted no time at all. They pushed forward for the attack without any remorse. The ball went to Joaqun on the wing who passed it through to the side of the box to Dani Alves. Alves took on a player and ran straight through the box. He took on the keeper and only had to slot the ball home. He lost his balance and smashed the ball against the inside of the post and it was cleared away by Andr Bikey.
Reading didn't hold back either. They ran into the Chelsea half in numbers, trying their luck at the counter attack. The ball was on the wing with Fa who attemped a cross but was blocked by Alex. The corner from Fa was unsuccessful and was cleared away.
Once again there was another attack. Straight from the clearance. Frank Lampard headed the ball down to Gareth Barry. Barry precisely passed it on to Roque Santa Cruz and Santa Cruz carried on the flow and passed it on to Didier Drogba. Drogba tried his luck with a shot outside the box and put it narrowly wide. It was end to end stuff with only three minutes passed.
Three minutes later, Chelsea had another chance. Ashley Cole took the corner on the right hand side of the pitch. He swerved the ball away from the goal to Didier Drogba. Drogba got a clear head on the ball. The ball was cleared off the line by Ingamarrson and kicked for another corner on the other side.
It was Frank Lampard who had the chance of putting in the ball for the follow up corner. He curled it in towards the goal and Hahnemann ran out and pounced on the ball. He held it in his hands safely and cleared it away from danger.
In the sixteenth minute, Reading had a throw in Chelsea's half. The throw in went to Lampard who passed it on to Gareth Barry. Barry held the ball too long and it was taken by Fa. Fa put a great through ball in to Leroy Lita who took a shot to early and Petr Cech saved it easily.
In the twenty sixth minute, Chelsea had the ball with Frank Lampard. Leroy Lita went in for a sliding tackle and came out the victim. He was stretchered off and Dave Kitson replaced him.
Ashley Cole had a throw in in Reading's third on the left hand side. He threw it to Robinho who quickly made a great cross in to the near post of the box. Roque Santa Cruz flicked the ball on with a header towards Didier Drogba. Hahnemann came out and made a great goal keeping interception to stop a most likely goal for Chelsea.
The whistle blew for half time and Chelsea went into their changing room disappointed. They dominated Reading through and through the whole half but were unable to convert it for a goal. At the end of the first fourty five minutes, both teams were looking to break the dead lock.
Chelsea made one change for the start of the second half. Roque Santa Cruz made way for Florent Malouda. Malouda went on the left wing and Robinho went ahead to the strikers position.
Chelsea were unable to take their chances in the first half and Reading made them pay. Five minutes into the second half, Reading had a promising throw in. The ball went to Yakin who was not closed down at all. He put a low ball into the box that went to Kevin Doyle. Doyle placed it into the bottom right hand corner with a precise shot with the inside of his right foot.
Three minutes later, Chelsea responded with some help from lady luck. Frank Lampard took a corner on the left hand side and attempted for it to go to the near post. Hahnemann came out and took the ball into his hands. The ball slipped out of Hahnemann's hands and went into the back of the net. Quite possibly the blunder of the season which brought Chelsea rightfully back into the game.
In the sixty eighth minute Avram Grant took of Ashley Cole for Michael Ballack. Cole had made a fatal error that gave Reading the first goal of the game. Gareth Barry went back to left back and Ballack went into his solid central midfield position.
Michael Ballack got involved straight away. A throw in from Gareth Barry to Florent Malouda. Malouda passed it back to Barry who passed into the centre to Michael Ballack. Ballack ran down towards the wing and made a great, powerful cross into the box. Drogba got a slight head on it but couldn't place it and it went into Hahnemann's hands, and this time stayed in his hands.
Half way through the last ten minutes, Chelsea made their final change. Saloman Kalou came on for Joaqun in an effort to get that goal and win the game. Joaqun had once again been boring and not got involved with the play.
Saloman Kalou got the tempo rising again for the last few minutes of the game. Frank Lampard passed the ball to Saloman Kalou. Kalou crossed it in towards Didier Drogba who hit it on the half volley. Hahnemann clutched the ball with ease and kept the scores tied.
There were three minutes added in injury time and Reading were feeling the pressure. Chelsea were awarded a free kick in a great position. Michael Ballack chipped the ball over the wall and into the box for Kalou to take. Kalou headed the ball towards goal and Hahnemann made a great dive for the top corner and forced a corner kick.
Michael Ballack took the follow up corner kick. He curled the ball away from the goal to Frank Lampard who came running in to header it. Lampard smashed the ball towards goal. The ball was saved by Rosenior on the line of the goal but by his hand. Rob Styles pointed towards the spot and disregarded all of the Reading player's protests.
Chelsea were given a chance to win the game right at the end. Gareth Barry picked up the ball and placed it on the spot. His facial expression showed no emotions. He counted his paces and took a big run up. Barry ran up slowly. He placed the ball perfectly into the top left hand corner, fooling the goal keeper. Barry held his nerve right at the end and surely won the game for the Blues.
That penalty was the last chance of the match. Gareth Barry sealed the game right at the end. Although, Chelsea should've sealed the game before that and won by a bigger margin. Reading took the lead in the fifty first minute after Ashley Cole made a huge mistake. He failed to close down Hakim who crossed it low to Kevin Doyle who placed it in. Chelsea replied straight after in the fifty third minute. Frank Lampard crossed the ball in and Hahnemann took the ball into his hands. Hahnemann lost grip of the ball and the ball went back into the net, the blunder of the season. Right at the very end, Michael Ballack crossed the ball in from a corner and Lampard headed it. Rosenior stopped it from going in by sticking his hand out and Chelsea were awarded a penalty. Gareth Barry held his nerve to slot the ball home for the Chelsea victory.