Pardew Hails Magnificent Victory

Last updated : 02 February 2003 By Rob Cooper
The Royals boss saw his side net five times for the first time since September 1999, bringing to an end an atrocious run that had seen just one record in two months.

Despite the awful results the Madejski Stadium outfit found themselves in seventh place at the start of play. Five goals and three points later Reading find themselves in a healthy fifth place, well positioned to challenge for the Play-Offs.

On Tuesday Pardew dubbed his sides display their worst of the campaign - Saturday's performance at Burnley could arguably be branded the best of the campaign after a crushing attacking display.

Speaking after yesterday's fabulous result the Royals boss said: "I thought we were absolutely magnificent today. Even though it was 5-2 we'd missed chances in the game!

"We hit the post at 5-1 and there was a point when the game changed a little bit. They got a penalty, but Marcus made a great save and after that I changed the system and from then I thought we went on and won it comfortably.

"Maybe we don't deserve to be fifth after the run we've been on, but that performance indicates how good we are, we made Burnley look ordinary."

The 41-year-old, who recently signed a new contract, revealed that he had had words with his side after the awful performance against the Foxes on Tuesday.

"We've had a major review of Tuesday night's performance, we'd sat and watched the video and done some soul-searching because I said to the player's I don't think we can ever play as badly as that," added Pardew.

"That performance on Tuesday went back to my early time here when I had players that weren't really bothered, but these players are and we needed to react."

Steven Sidwell netted a brace in only his second outing in a Royals shirt and was quick to earn his manager's praise.

"Sidwell for me was the pick of the bunch and almost got a hat-trick," commented Pardew.

"I thought he was terrific, he's clever with the ball and keep's it simple. he released Fozzy three or four times and he is keeping some great players like Kevin Watson out of the middle of the park."

The glitzy performance from the flairy Paul Scholes style ginger-haired midfielder came on the back of a less than impressive debut on Tuesday in which Pardew's latest signing did little more than get himself booked. On Saturday's display he could well turn out to be one of Pardew's best ever buys.

Reading will hope to register another three points in similar style when Gillingham visit the Madejski Stadium on Monday 10th February.