Bright, energetic, early season game between two play off/promotion candidates. It was Bolton''s first home game of the season, but despite this the atmosphere was a bit flat with not much chanting. this is probably not helped by the fact the Reebok doesn''t have a devoted ''home end'', rather there''s a group next to the away supporters who seem to be the most energetic. The football was of good quality, despite Bolton''s star man Chris Eagles not playing, with new fan favourite Jay Spearing (a new signing for Bolton after being on loan there from Liverpool the season before) and Chung-Yong Lee impressing for the Wanderers. Other Liverpool reject, David Ngog showed he''d learnt nothing since his time at Anfield, with several brilliant runs/touches being ruined by either his refusal to release the ball or his inability to find a team mate. Bolton should''ve had the game won in the first half, they were bright and energetic and their direct tactic of hitting the ball up to their giants up front, Ngog and Beckford who would lay it on to Lee, Spearing or Pratley was contrastingly effective to Reading staid passing game that couldn''t seem to progress from the middle third, and by the end of the half, the Royals looked very much like a team that had won just 6 games last season. Second half saw an early penalty given, correctly, for a Lee handball (*my first penalty of the 92!*). Blackman who did nothing else all game, dispatched it cooly and Reading were suddenly a different team full of all the vigour they lacked in the first half. Bolton weathered the storm well however and came back at Royals, especially when the crowd roared into life when two, seemingly blatant, handball-penalty claims were turned down by the ref. This led to said crowd declaring, and not for the last time this season I expect, that they ''always get shit refs''. Isn''t it always the way. Bolton were impressive, and Reading played a good counter attacking game. Both are good enough quality to really push for promotion, Bolton especially. Note: Royston Drenthe, all snarling 5 foot 10 inches of him, played for Reading in a No. 10 role however he''s clearly a winger, and more effective when cutting in. He must''ve taken 8 shots, with only 2 on target. He carried the unmistakeable air of a player who thinks he''s ''above'' the Championship, which is perhaps fair enough for a former-Real Madrid and Feynoord player. However you can see why his career there stumbled, and as the crowd showed in their treatment of him as the villain of the piece after his blatant dive in the box (and subsequent yellow card), the Championship can be a tough place for ex big names who have rested on their laurels, but still carry their old arrogance around with them. He''s undoubtedly a good player, however he has a lot to learn in this league. Goals: Bolton: Pratley (14) Reading: Blackman (51 pen) Match Report http://sportinglife.aol.co.uk/football/match/287680/bolton-v-reading