READING will face Walsall in round four of the FA Cup after a Matej Vydra hat-trick helped the side overcome Championship rivals Huddersfield Town this evening.
Last season’s semi-finalists looked to be heading out of the competition after Jamie Paterson and Tommy Smith fired the away side into a 2-0 lead inside the opening 15 minutes of this third round replay at a freezing Madejski Stadium.
But losing defender Jonathan Hogg to a red card for a professional foul on Matej Vydra not long after would see the game begin to swing Royals way, with the same player going on to score a trio of second-half goals as Royals finally ground down the Terriers.
Lucas Piazon started the comeback when netting the subsequent free-kick following Hogg’s illegal challenge, and substitute Alex Fernandez finished it off with his first Royals goal in stoppage time – but this was a night when the hosts got themselves out of jail.
Reading, unchanged for a third game running, needed the dismissal, which was a real turning point, to really get going, while it was only a last-ditch save from Ali Al Habsi to deny Nakhi Wells moments earlier which prevented Huddersfield putting the contest out of reach.
The opening exchanges failed to warm up the spectators who braved below freezing temperatures to watch the contest as both sides knocked the ball around with little intent.
Royals had that little bit more quality about them on the ball, but it remained a contest largely played out in the middle of the park as the seconds ticked by.
Those present were still awaiting a first shot at goal, but when a chance of note, however, arrived in the eight minute the deadlock was broken – and it was the visitors who were celebrating taking the lead.
Jamie Paterson came into the tie having netted in both previous fixtures between this sides this season, and he was to hit his third against the club when profitting from good work by Nakhi Wells.
Jake Cooper was unable to clear his lines properly from a long ball over the top and the Terriers striker was quick to pounce, cutting inside and covering some distance as he burst into the box.
It was here where the on-loan Paterson took over, closing in on Al Habsi before squeezing the ball inside the far post.
And the visitors were on the charge again soon after, with Emyr Huws unlucky not to double the advantage when turning an inviting cross from Joe Lolly on to the crossbar, with Al Habsi palming away the rebound as the Royals defence remained a nervous unit.
The stunned hosts remained under the cosh and when the ball was next thrown back into the box it was 2-0.
This is because Smith chanced his luck from some 20 yards and saw his low drive nestle in the back of the net.
Things could have got even worse for the home side when a gorgeous through ball from deep caught out Anton Ferdinand, who was shown a clean pair of heels by Wells.
Al Habsi, however, was quick to spot the danger, racing off his line and denying the striker as he attempted to stroke the ball home.
It was a a real let off for a Royals side who, apart from an overhit pass by Vydra after a sharp one-two with Piazon, had failed to muster up any sort of effort in front of goal – and the game was now some 20-odd minutes old.
But they were handed a lifeline minutes later when Town defender Hogg was given his marching orders.
Just days after MK Dons’ Kyle McFadzean escaped with only a caution when scything down Vydra as he raced through on goal, Hogg was not as lucky when sending the same player to ground.
The Czech forward had stole in on the edge of the box only to be upended by Hogg, who was deemed to be the last man by referee Oliver Langford, who wasted no time in reaching for his back pocket.
Responsibility for the set-piece belonged to Piazon, and the Brazilian midfielder elegantly lifted the ball up and over the wall and past a rooted Joe Murphy to halve the deficit.
Now with the extra man, Royals began to lay siege on the Huddersfield goal, yet Murphy remained untested as the hosts struggled to create any real openings against a side which had now lined up with two banks of four.
Involved in a lot of the work going forward was Garath McCleary, but his evening was to come to an end late in the half when he hobbled off injured, with Ola John his replacement.
A lacklustre first 45 minutes would end with Danny Williams, who has not been shy shooting from range this term, letting fly from some 20 yards, but the strike sailed harmlessly wide of an upright.
But the side would not need to long to work Murphy into a save after the interval, with the shot-stopper clawing a Robson-Kanu header from under the crossbar and out for a corner.
The opportunity arrived via an inviting cross from Andrew Taylor, but the resulting flag kick was easily dealth with by the away side.
Royals continued to ask all the questions during this time, but the final outcome remained a frustrating one.
Chris Gunter saw a sweeping cross fail to beat the first man while Vydra and John were off target with respecitve chances.
A moments respite for the visitors came when Paterson shanked an opening wide before the same player won a corner on the opposite side – but it was from here when Royals would draw themselves level though a devastating counter attack.
The move was started and finished by Vydra.
Latching on to a clearance, the striker showed quick feet to set John on his way, with the player covering three-quarters of the pitch and dragging in two opponents before slipping in Robson-Kanu.
The Welshman saw his initial effort saved by Murphy, but the ball popped up nicely for Vydra to volley into an open net.
Just three minutes later and Reading – and Vydra – had turned the game on his head.
With Huddersfield outnumbered on their right side, John had the time to take a touch before squaring for Vydra to net with a poachers finish from two yards out.
But McDermott’s men almost squandered the lead as quickly as they had taken it, with a post coming to the rescue when Wells found himself with a rare opportunity, which he cleverly lobbed over Al Habsi only to see an upright thwart an equaliser.
With the game beginning to open up, a chance would arise for Vydra to go for the hat-trick, but he was unable to get the better of Murphy on this occasion, who took the sting out of the shot before a team-mate swept up the loose ball.
In an attempt to try and get back into the game, Town boss David Wagner made a double-attacking substitution, throwing on Martin Cranie and Ishmael Miller for Kyle Dempsey and Ismael Miller, but it would not have the desired affect.
Gunter and Robson-Kanu both went close to adding their names to the scoresheet as the hosts were now in control of the game and attacking at will.
Reading were enjoying the most freedom down the left side, and it was again via this route where Vydra would complete his treble in the 90th minute – becoming the first Czech to do so in the club’s colours.
Fed in from an inside left position, the player took a touch before firing at goal.
The stirke was helped home by a slight deflection, but it was nonetheless a deserved treble for a striker who has often cut a frustrated figure for Royals this season.
And the scoring was not to finish there, as there was still time for Alex Fernandez, on as a substitute earlier in the half, to open his account for the club with smart drive from some 20 yards.
The Spaniard would arrow a low drive beyond the reach of Murphy and into the corner to add a coat of gloss to an indifferent performance from the hosts, who now move on to host Sheffield Wednesday in the Championship on the Saturday (3pm).
READING: Al Habsi, Gunter, Taylor, Ferdinand, Cooper, Norwood (c), Williams, McCleary (John 42), Robson-Kanu, Vydra (Sa 90+2), Piazon (Fernandez 79).
Subs not used: Bond, Quinn, Cox, Keown.
HUDDERSFIELD TOWN: Murphy, Smith, Davidson, Hudson (c), Hogg, Paterson, Huws, Lolly (Whitehead 27, (Cranie 75)), Wells, Dempsey (Miller 75), Lynch.
Subs not used: Allinson, Holmes, Husband, Bojaj.
Referee: Oliver Langford.
Attendance: 8,119 (635)
