United Wins It In A Thrilling First Half

Reading 3 - Manchester United 4
Scorers
Reading: Robson-Kanu (8), Le Fondre (19), Morrison (23)
Manchester United: Anderson (13), Rooney (pen 16, 30), Van Persie (34)

Team: Lindegaard, Rio, Evans, Rafael (Smalling 31), Carrick, Fletcher, Anderson (Jones (45), Young, Rooney, Van Persie (74)

We won this thriller with all the goals coming in the first half. It looked like a potential banana skin, but we navigated it and sailed to a well deserved 3 points.

Chelsea had lost in the early game to West Ham and Shitty were held at home to Everton. Usually when the early contenders slip, so would we, but today we held our nerve and came back twice from behind in sensational fashion to beat a resilient Reading.

Just as the doctor ordered, we fell behind early thru a superb volley from Robson-Kanu. The goal spurred us and we levelled with a brilliant goal from Anderson after some good work with Young. Evans was then fouled in the box and Rooney put us into the lead from the spot.

Just as the early deficit invigorated us, Reading did their own revival on us. Two corners from Shorey resulted in two headered goals. We couldn't defend the corners and paid the price.

In a ridiculous to and fro battle, we punched back harder with another couple of quick goals from Rooney and Van Persie.

Van Persie could have made it 5, but his shot over the line was not seen by the linesman, despite it being way way over the line before being cleared. On the other side of the pitch, Reading were equally unlucky not to be awarded a corner despite the ball clearly coming off Evra.

Just as games of this nature are played, adjustments were made and the second half fell into a dull affair. Van Persie should have put the result beyond doubt when he robbed the Reading keeper of the ball. He put the effort wide. As a result, we barely survived a late late Reading onslaught of freekicks and corners. The defence held firm and we collected all the points in a thrilling contest.

I just have to add that this is probably one of the most thrilling first halves I've seen in a long long time.