Reading v Stevenage Betting Preview – FA Cup 16th January 8.00pm
Reading’s nervy home form may be put to the test in this one as they look to secure passage through to the fourth round of the FA Cup in midweek. They couldn’t see off League Two opponents Stevenage at the first attempt, but with Boro being well out of form on their travels, the tie may have gotten just a little easier for the Royals. But even with that said, the Royals aren’t exactly carrying great home form.
Reading v Stevenage FA Cup Betting Tips
It has not been a fruitful season for Reading in the Championship and they are only the five points away from the drop zone. They have not collected a single win in any of their last eight games in all competitions, which includes their 0-0 draw out at Stevenage in this FA Cup third round tie. They have failed to hit the back of the net in any of their last three games played as well. So right off the bat, this has the look of going under 2.5 goals again. The Royals have drawn their last two games 0-0 and in the Coral Correct Score market that is an 11/1 option to weigh up* (Betting Odds taken from January 15th, 2018 at 00.37 a.m.). The Royals have taken one win in their last six at Madejski and they took a hard hit in their last home game, going down 2-0 against relegation-threatened Birmingham who are second from bottom in the league. If they get through to the fourth round from this, it is hard to see them doing so by nothing more than a one-goal margin at best.
This will be just the fourth meeting between the two sides and all of the three previous ones have been in the FA Cup. The first meeting was in 2011 with reading taking a 2-1 away win, but then Stevenage got revenge twelve months later by winning 1-0 at the Madejski. Then there was the 0-0 draw this go around in the third round.
The Boro got off to a very strong and solid start to the new season, but then they faded away in League Two. It was around early October that things started to change for them and they are just not reliable at the moment. They also have no real away form, which means that their FA Cup boat has probably sailed this season. Stevenage have failed to win any of their last ten away games, losing eight of those in a really poor run of form. They have scored in just four of those ten games in that sequence too. So a Reading to win to nil option at Coral for the replay looks a decent proposition. This replay probably won’t produce a lot of goals and both teams not to score may appeal. Stevenage did have the better of things in the first leg from an attacking perspective. But they may find the going much tougher away from home against their Championship opponents. The top scorer for Stevenage this season is Matt Godden and he has four goals in three FA Cup appearances this season as well. Whichever of these sides wins though, next up in the fourth round would be an away game against Carlisle or Sheffield Wednesday.
Reading v Stevenage FA Cup Betting Odds*
Reading 4/9, Draw 10/3, Stevenage 7/1* (Betting Odds taken from January 13th, 2018 at 1:12 a.m.)
Reading v Stevenage FA Cup Predictions
The Royals should be backed as the ones to get through this replay fixture on home soil. They aren’t a side running with any particular form of confidence but should have enough in them to get past League Two opposition at the Madejski.
