Football – England – Championship
Tuesday 19th August 2014 – Kickoff: 2000hrs
Reading head into tonight’s fixture against Huddersfield Town still unbeaten after their first two matches in their new Championship campaign.
Despite expectations being lowered this time around after a disappointing campaign last season where The Royals narrowly missed out on a play-off place, Reading have started this new season well with a point away at ‘bogey’ team Wigan Athletic 2-2, and then back-to-back wins in the League Cup and Saturday.
Reading saw off the challenge of League Two side Newport County in the first round of the Capital One Cup 3-1 at the Madejski Stadium, and then continued that into Saturday with another home win over Ipswich Town 1-0 in the Championship.
The Royals now go in search of a third successive home win here tonight against early strugglers Huddersfield Town. Manager Nigel Adkins pulled off a a bit of a coup during the summer months to sign Nottingham Forest forward Simon Cox along with bringing former West Ham defender Anton Ferdinand back to the football league on a free transfer from Turkish side Antalya. Forest forward Jamie Mackie has also joined Reading on loan.
Visitors Huddersfield Town have started their new season in worrying fashion as they’ve gone down 0-4 at home to Bournemouth in their opening match of the season, and then suffered a 1-3 defeat away at Cardiff City on Saturday.
In between these losses, they had to go into extra-time against League One side Chesterfield in the first round of the League Cup, eventually winning the tie 5-3 but they make the trip down to Berkshire tonight in an attempt to avoid a third successive Championship defeat.
Goals have continued to flow against The Terriers, particularly away from home where they’ve kept just one clean sheet in their last thirteen on their travels and they ended last season with a disappointing 6-5-12 24/33 away record.
Reading are expected to once again challenge for at least a top six spot this season, and with a solid record behind them at the Madejski Stadium, I’ll back The Royals to edge the points here this evening with perhaps a 1-0 win.
Pick: Reading straight win @ 1.83 bet365
