Remember when we used to see the League Cup as an inconvenience?

When our second string would meekly surrender on a late summer evening at somewhere as exotic as Crewe and that would be that for another season?

How refreshing then that even six changes later, our current side can still produce a top class display to sweep aside one of our bogey sides from the same division.

With starts for Roos, Shotton, Mascarell, Ibe, Russell and Best, you could have been forgiven for thinking it was the same starting XI as Saturday, such was our similar dominant start. Zipping the ball around as the heavens produced the sort of weather that would see a lesser coach reaching for an umbrella; most of the first half was once again played out near the South Stand.

Despite our sharp approach, genuine shots on target were hard to come by early on. Ibe though looked a man possessed; the first fifteen minutes saw the iPro open-mouthed admiring his apparent effortless skill.

Bryson smashed wide after good work from the loanee before Forsyth flicked a Russell corner just beyond Keogh at the far stick and Hughes dragged wide.

Debutant Roos had very little to do, apart from hear the crowd acclaim him in similar fashion to ‘Poooom’ before him. For the visitors, I’m pretty sure Sideshow Bob was playing in centre midfield, Kuhl’s yellow boots and dreadful opening half giving me little reason to suggest otherwise.

Mascarell on the other hand, looked neat and tidy, breaking up attacks and feeding the superb Ibe and Russell.

Baffling then was the fact it took Leon Best 24 minutes (and yes I did count) to manage a meaningful touch. Soon after though, he almost hit the onion-bag, his shot from all of thirty yards bringing a save from Anderson. From the resulting corner, the London Bus scenario, Best’s second touch in succession seeing him spring well only to head over.

Hughes then benefited from a typical Christie burst to shoot at the keeper before Russell crossed just over Best. With half-time approaching, we did our best (not Leon) to undo all of our good work.

Christie was well marked on the touchline, so opted to play a blind back-pass in the general direction of Roos. Just like Arsene Wenger though, he ‘did not see’ Mackie, who accepted the gift to bear down on goal unchallenged. Thankfully, he decided to use all of the skills acquired at the Nottingham Forest training centre, shooting to the keepers’ left where Roos, to his credit, made an excellent stop.

There was still time for the referee, who I must say was superb, to issue a yellow card to the love-child of Bryan and Nwankwo for an apparent dive in the area. From my far vantage point in the South Stand, it looked like a stumble but you didn’t hear me complaining.

Half-time.

Fresh from our new little second-half warm up drill thing on the pitch, which had been successful enough to see us just concede two in ten minutes at the weekend, we set about finishing the job.

To our credit, our tempo was immediately up, with Russell seeing a shot blocked just wide.

It was nearly the man of the moment though that gave us the lead, when Best saw a rare chance to run at the defence and instead of shooting, laid left to Ibe on the corner of the box. Dropping a shoulder and breezing past the defender with ease, he was unlucky to see Anderson produce a top save and push the ball onto the bar.

From the corner, Shotton forgot that we don’t try and score from them and saw his header cleared off the line. As Reading didn’t clear, Hughes played a lovely reverse to Keogh, who smashed his shot into the North Stand. Russell then combined nicely with Hughes to curl a beauty just wide.

Reading were marginally coming into the game more, with Sideshow remembering his side didn’t play in white. Their delivery from the left was causing problems, with Mascarell and Forsyth having to defend well to avert danger.

Danger though was sadly not coming from Leon up top for the Rams, who wasn’t having his Best game. After shimmying so much he confused himself, he did to his credit find space for a shot soon after that skimmed wide. The game though was crying out for Martin and soon he was summoned, to replace Hughes.

It was no surprise that within five minutes, Martin had worked his, ‘magic’ (One for Coldplay fans!). Roos, whose distribution had been superb all night, started the move. The ball was played up to Best, who won his best header of the night to flick onto Martin. The big man played the ball onto Russell, who had one thing on his mind and executed superbly in three touches.

The first out of his feet, the second to show Gunter a clean pair of heels and the third to drill superbly into the corner left-footed. A goal as popular in the stands as it was on the field, with Johnny and co. evidently delighted at him opening his account for the season.

Relief - but still a game to win.

In fairness, Reading huffed and puffed but there was no way that they were going to blow the foundations of Keogh’s house down. Led again by the impressive Mascarell and with Ibe coming back to centre stage, the Rams killed the game with ten left.

Ibe produced yet another incredible piece of skill on the left to find Martin on the edge of the box. Combining with sub Dawkins, the return pass looked to have gone too far but the striker showed a turn of pace to keep the ball in and steer it into the box. Pearce in the Reading defence obviously didn’t fancy a late night, getting in a mess as the ball hit his shins and dropped apologetically into the net.

Eustace was brought on in place of Bryson for the final ten to see the game out. A goal would have made it interesting but it was never truly a threat as the game petered out, save for yet more skill from Ibe.

Full-time and a very efficient job done.

More proof then that this squad is as good as it has been in recent years. To play with the same intensity after making six changes speaks volumes.

As I type, Fulham away has just been confirmed for the next round.

Who’s to say now that a Quarter Final appearance isn’t a real possibility?

Weston’s Player Ratings:

Kelle Roos — 8: Excellent debut. Very good distribution and handling.

Craig Forsyth — 6: Steady performance.

Ryan Shotton — 7: A composed display in his first game for us at CB.

Cyrus Christie — 7: The normal Cyrus game. Fortunate not to see his backpass punished.

Richard Keogh — 8: Very good game alongside a new centre-half partner.

Craig Bryson — 7: Worked hard in the midfield.

Will Hughes — 7: Normal industrious self.

Omar Mascarell — 8: Very neat and tidy display with touches of real class. Impressive.

Jordan Ibe — Weston’s Star Man 9: Simply unplayable at times. Superb.

Johnny Russell — 7: Great performance and a real quality goal which will do him no harm.

Leon Best — 6: Struggled but still had opportunities.

Subs

Chris Martin — 8: Absolutely brilliant off the bench.

Simon Dawkins — 7: Did well, had big hand in 2nd goal.

John Eustace — 6: Saw it out!

Match Info / Teams:

Ref: S.Hooper

Crowd: 18,409

Rams: Roos, Christie, Keogh, Shotton, Forsyth, Mascarell, Hughes (Martin 63’), Bryson (Eustace 84’), Russell, Ibe, Best (Dawkins 75’).

Unused Subs: Grant, L Naylor, Whitbread, Calero

Goals: Russell - 67’, Pearce (o.g) - 82’

Royals: Andersen, Gunter, Obita, Pearce, Hector (Cooper 87’), Kuhl, Guthrie (Taylor 72’), Mackie, Edwards, Robson-Kanu (Cox 75’), Pogrebnyak

Unused Subs: Lincoln, Long, Stacey, Blackman

Match Stats — Derby / Reading:

Possession: 64% / 36%

Shots On Target: 5 / 3

Shots Off Target: 13 / 6

Corners: 9 / 6

Fouls: 6 / 11

We Said / They Said - Match Reaction:

We Said — Steve McClaren:

"We got the clean sheet and if we keep doing that we will win games. We have got players who are dangerous, can create and can score goals. We had to stay patient, but in the end it paid off.”

"Reading are a good team and we knew it was going to be tough. But even though we made six changes, we felt the team was good enough to win - and it did."

They said — Nigel Adkins:

“Against a team who play excellent possession football I thought it was us who were in control of the game at that time.”

"Unfortunately the goal changes the complexion. It's a great bit of wing play leading into the second goal which is unfortunately a deflection - the second one in two games now against us."

Highlights / Post Match Interviews:

Up Next For The Rams:

Bolton vs. Derby

Reebok Stadium

Saturday 27th of September - 3:00pm

COYR!!

Photo: Action Images

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