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Six of worst for slowcoach Owls: MATCH REPORT AND SLIDESHOW
READING 6 v SHEFFIELD WEDNESDAY 0: SHEFFIELD Wednesday are licking their wounds today following an embarrassing 6-0 defeat against Championship title contenders Reading last night.
It may well have taken them seven and a half hours to navigate their way down to Berkshire, but the journey back to the Steel City will have felt like a lifetime.
A hat-trick for Republic of Ireland striker Kevin Doyle was complemented by Noel Hunt's brace and Cameroon defender Andre Bikey's header.
Owls' goalkeeper Lee Grant also made two fine saves from headers in each half, while sub striker Shane Long hit the bar.
Wednesday, who have now conceded 11 goals in their three away games, drop down to 13th in the table.
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The Royals have won each of their three home games, and Owls' manager Brian Laws said: "You can't come to Reading knowing that their home form is electric, they have been superb.
"If you are going to defend like that, you are going to concede goals. I would like to put it all down to how fantastic Reading were, they were like Real Madrid. But 50 percent of it was down to the fact that we were that poor."
The major consoling factors from the game are that Reading are genuine title material, not just promotion hopefuls. And in 24 year-old Doyle, Wednesday came up against arguably the best striker outside the Premiership.
"In this division he is always going to be a handful," continued Laws. "He is scoring goals. His reputation was built in the Championship, but he has also scored goals in the Premiership.
"He is a goal threat, but you can't give opportunities like that. You can't defend like that against a good finisher. He must have enjoyed that because it was like shooting practice for him."
After last night's match Reading boss Steve Coppell admitted that his prize asset nearly left the Madejski in the most recent transfer window. Doyle was rumoured to be interesting Aston Villa.
He opened the scoring in the fifth minute when Noel Hunt teed him up inside the six yard box following lax defending from two visiting players, including James O'Connor, on the right wing.
He took advantage of statuesque defending four minutes later, from others including O'Connor, to drill home a left footed shot into the top left corner. In between both goals Jermaine Johnson let slip a one on one effort.
Then Bikey, who had only played ten minutes of Championship football all season before this game because of international commitments, rose to head home a 29th minute Stephen Hunt free-kick to make it three.
Deon Burton forced Marcus Hahnemann into action to keep the 3-0 lead intact for the half-time break.
"You don't see many teams coming back from three down," continued Laws. "So at half-time the important thing was to start the second half by getting a bit of pride back.
"You at least expect the players to try and go out and win the second half. But the first ten minutes of the second half was identical. Straight away, two goals within the space of a few minutes and a catalogue of mistakes."
Noel Hunt opened his account, making it 4-0, when he slid home a ball flicked over the Owl's defence on 50 minutes.
And Doyle completed his trio when he was given acres of space in the box to twist, turn and fire home a right footed shot beyond Grant for five.
Doyle was subbed immediately, after his second treble in two home games, while Bobby Convey came on four minutes later for the lively Stephen Hunt.
And the American midfielder's first touch set up the other Hunt for his second goal of the match, and Reading's sixth. Hunt stole a march on the Wednesday defence to fire past Grant from close range.
While the home faithful were bellowing out 'we want seven', Wednesday's good humoured following were responding with 'we want one'.
"I wish I could sweep it under the carpet, I wish I could say that it was a one off, and I wish I could just say that we will move onto the next game," continued Laws, who must have given his players a rocket.
"I am not going to come into the media room and slaughter everybody, it's not right. What I have said in the dressing room will stay there.
"Saturday has got to be reaction time. They have got to show a reaction to our own supporters, and maybe then we can sweep it under the carpet as a one off. We can only do that if we put in a performance against Ipswich.
"If Jim Magilton was watching that, then he will be rubbing his hands."
Laws is expecting Middlesbrough manager Gareth Southgate to allow him to extend the loan spell of defender Tony McMahon.
Owls stuck in slow lane
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Weather for Sheffield
Friday 10 February 2012
Today
Fog
Temperature: -6 C to 0 C
Wind Speed: 14 mph
Wind direction: South east
Tomorrow
Sunny spells
Temperature: -2 C to -1 C
Wind Speed: 9 mph
Wind direction: South west
