Reading 2
Sonko 13, 49

Argyle 0

POOR defending and Premiership class were the difference as Argyle went down 2-0 to Reading at the Madekski Stadium.

Two identical goals from centre-back Ibrahima Sonko at the start of each half did the main damage, but it was Reading's ability to keep possession and kill the game that really thwarted the Pilgrims.

Luggy made a whopping six changes from the side that lost dismally at Luton on Tuesday evening. Marcel Seip and Mathias Doumbe took over from Krisztián Timár and Craig Cathcart in central defence, whilst Chris Clark replaced Jim Paterson on the left.

In the middle, Luke Summerfield replaced Yoann Folly and up top, Jamie Mackie and Rory Fallon took over from Steve MacLean and Jermaine Easter.

Meanwhile, the opposition line up included international strikers Leroy Lita and Kevin Doyle who were ably assisted by other household names, such as Stephen Hunt and James Harper.

Argyle were first to attack, Fallon playing the ball wide to Jason Puncheon, who cut inside Hunt to deliver a drive straight into the grateful arms of American Marcus Hahnemann. Although probably not a genuine goal-scoring opportunity, it certainly cheered the 2,000 or so members of the Green Army away to the left.

Argyle continued to threaten and were almost rewarded when Fallon beat the offside trap to meet Clark's in-swinging cross from the left. In reality, it was always travelling away from the big Kiwi, but he managed to get a toe on the ball to knock it just wide.

But, soon after, Reading began to find some attacking form and were almost rewarded when a defensive slip-up led to the ball bouncing loose in the area. Lita and Doyle both had shots blocked before Karl Duguid hacked the ball away to safety.

It was a brief respite for Argyle, and poor marking from the subsequent corner was punished as Sonko's powerful header from a perfectly delivered Hunt cross gave the Royals a deserved advantage.

The goal had clearly knocked the Pilgrims' confidence and, again, slack defending almost cost them dear when Doyle was presented with a loose ball on the edge of the area. Most people would have bet their house on him putting it away but, instead, the Irishman fired over.

Argyle manager Paul Sturrock could obviously sense a lull in the game and changed the system - moving Clark to right-wing, Mackie to the left and Puncheon just in behind the lone front man, Fallon.

The change in system seemed to help, as Argyle created a number of half-chances without seriously troubling the Reading defence. The most promising of these was when a Mackie flick found Chris Barker on the over-lap. Unfortunately, the former QPR man delivered straight into the arms of Royals keeper Marcus Hahnemann.

A series of Argyle corners stirred the Green Army but no real threatening shot on goal arrived and the first half drew to a close.

After the break, Argyle burst straight into action. Puncheon was the architect, lashing a powerful drive inches past Hahnemann's far post.

Argyle's resolve was broken just seconds later when Reading produced a carbon copy of their first goal. Hunt delivered the corner and Sonko, again, said 'thanks very much', and buried the ball past the helpless Graham Stack.

Things were not looking good and Reading were handed a glorious chance to further their lead just five minutes later when Bobby Convey's deep cross was allowed to reach Hunt at the back stick. Hunt headed high and wide, much to the relief of Stack, who was clearly not happy with his defence.

Luggy decided to shake it up again and revert to a 4-4-2 with Jamie Mackie making way for Steve MacLean and David McNamee being brought on at right-back for Simon Walton, so that Karl Duguid could switch to the midfield.

And within minutes, the change almost paid off when MacLean fired a diving header just wide from a Chris Barker cross.

That chance seem to urge Argyle forward and a flurry of positive situations followed - the most notable being another stinging Puncheon drive.

Normal service soon resumed and Lita twice went close. First, with his head and then from an outlandish overhead kick.

The rest of the second half was full of Reading chances as they continuted to stamp their authority on the game. As the referee put his whistle to his mouth to signal the end of the game, just like in the first half, few could have many complaints with the score-line.

Argyle (4-4-2): 21 Graham Stack (gk); 2 Karl Duguid (capt), 13 Matt Kouo-Doumbe, 19 Marcel Seip (5 Krisztián Timár 85), 15 Chris Barker; 7 Jason Puncheon, 4 Simon Walton (16 David McNamee 65), 20 Luke Summerfield, 6 Chris Clark; 25 Jamie Mackie (9 Steve MacLean 65), 14 Rory Fallon.

Substitutes (not used): 10 Jermaine Easter, 3 Jim Paterson.

Reading (4-4-2): 1 Marcus Hahnemann; 22 Liam Rosenior, 4 Kalifa Cisse, 31 Ibrahima Sonko, 10 Stephen Hunt; 14 Jimmy Kebe, 15 James Harper (capt), 16 Ivar Ingimarsson, 17 Bobby Convey (42 Julian Kelly 84); 9 Kevin Doyle (24 Shane Long 74), 8 Leroy Lita (11 Noel Hunt 88).

Substitutes (not used): 26 Alex Pearce, 36 Mikkel Andersen (gk).

Referee: R Beeby.

Attendance: 19,202.

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Chris Parsons