English Premiership
Reading held by Canaries
2012-11-10 19:47
Reading - Dauntingly for the hosts, Norwich wore all black on Saturday as they earned a 0-0 draw at Reading, who have now gone an alarming 10 top-flight games without a single win to their name.
Lack of funds for coach Brian McDermott's promoted Reading side means his line up was similar on Saturday to the one that last won a home league game against Nottingham Forest in April.
For Norwich it was a third clean sheet in four games that have seen them claim eight points.
In a tight first-half Norwich started brightly, but Reading were the first to open up a decent scoring chance when Garath McCleary's long-range shot was tipped away by John Ruddy on the quarter-hour.
It was to be the only shot on target in the first-half.
The Canaries had to be well organised in defence as they were pegged back in their own half for much of the opening period, conceding a series of five corners, but snuffling out any danger Reading created.
Former Glasgow Rangers defender Steven Whittaker came closest for Norwich with a long range shot of his own, but the teams went in 0-0 at half-time - and so it was to remain.
Reading made changes on the hour as Pavel Pogrebnyak and Jimmy Kebe came on for McCleary and Noel Huntas in an early double substitution in midfield and attack.
Norwich captain Grant holt sent his header wide when he looked certain to score just moments after the Malian sub Kebe had hit the crossbar for Reading at the other end moments earlier.
Jamaican Jobi McAnuff was set up well for another Reading effort by defender Nicky Storey but the Royals were too one dimensional to get on the score sheet.
It was however Reading's first clean sheet of the season, although 10 games without a win looks to be the more glaring statistic.