Scowcroft's late winner strengthens Levein's lofty intent
Reading 1 - Leicester City
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Your support makes all the difference.Things are looking up for Leicester and their manager Craig Levein. They are on an eight-game unbeaten run, through to the fifth round of the FA Cup thanks to this win and, after a miserable start to the season, are aiming for promotion.
Things are looking up for Leicester and their manager Craig Levein. They are on an eight-game unbeaten run, through to the fifth round of the FA Cup thanks to this win and, after a miserable start to the season, are aiming for promotion.
Levein came from Hearts to replace Micky Adams at the end of October after Leicester had continued to slide following relegation from the Premiership last season. "There is only one reason for my decision [to join Leicester] and it is my ambition to manage in England and get into the Premiership," Levein said on his appointment. Well, Leicester are in a position to challenge for a play-off place and Jamie Scowcroft, who scored the deserved injury-time winner against 10-man Reading, is enjoying the Cup run too.
Looking ahead to today's draw, Scowcroft said: "We're all excited about the draw. The Cup throws up surprise after surprise - you only need to look at Millwall who got to the final last year." Scowcroft headed in from a quality 90th-minute Jordan Stewart cross after Gareth Williams' 31st-minute strike had cancelled out Nicky Forster's 10th-minute opener for Reading.
Leicester were the better team from midway through the first half and pressed home their advantage after Reading had Ricky Newman sent off for a second bookable offence with 14 minutes to go. Newman later expressed his disgust with the referee Andy D'Urso and the Reading manager, Steve Coppell, was unhappy too.
Nothing could disturb Levein, though, who said: "It doesn't matter who we get in the next round. As for promotion, we're trying build a strong mentality in the team. We haven't given up on anything."
While Leicester look to continue their unbeaten run at home to Crewe this Saturday, Reading, in fourth, are after their first win in 2005 at home to Plymouth. Forster said: "From now on we've got 16 Cup finals before the end of the season. The Plymouth match is a must-win for us."
Goals: Forster (10) 1-0; Williams (31) 1-1; Scowcroft (90) 1-2.
Reading (4-4-2): Hahnemann; Murty, Shorey, Sonko, Ingimarsson; Little, Harper, Newman, Hughes; Ferdinand (Owusu, 69), Forster. Substitutes not used: Young (gk), Convey, Brooker, Morgan.
Leicester City (4-4-2): Walker; Maybury, Stewart, Dabizas, Heath; Gillespie (Dublin, 89), Gudjonsson (Nalis, 85), Williams, Tiatto; Scowcroft, Connolly (De Vries, 79). Substitutes not used: Hirschfeld (gk), Makin.
Referee: A D'Urso (Essex).
Booked: Reading Newman; Leicester Gudjonsson, Heath.
Sent off: Reading Newman (76).
Man of the match: Hahnemann.
Attendance: 14,825.
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