Reading lose 7-5... Again..!!

[IDM]

Going off on a tangent from DU's "Milestones" thread, I noticed that Reading (albeit their youngsters) lost 7-5 in the checkatrade trophy last night.

This is the 3rd occasion in my memory that I have noticed a 7-5 scoreline.  I have no idea how often 7-5 has been recorded in English professional football, but it seems quite unusual to me.

But for the same club - Reading - to have been beaten 7-5 THREE times must be unique? 

Add to that Reading also lost 7-4 (against Portsmouth in the Prem)...

[Dutch Uncle]

Interesting IDM. Of course only one of those matches was in the Football League.

Sky/Rothman's Annuals have a data analysis of goals scored in Football League games. As of the end of last season no league game in any of the 4 Divisions had produced 12 goals since the premier league started in 1992-93 (max was 11 - the Portsmouth - Reading game being one of only 3 occasions).

Up to and including season 1991-92 there are a total of 45 instances of exactly 12 goals in a game occurring (max was 17). Only one of those 45 was in Division 3 (non regionalied) which was of course the Rovers - Reading game. Of course all scores with 12 goals in a game are counted together so Rovers record defeat of 0-12 at Small Heath (now Birmingham City) in 1902-03 is in there. It seems likely there are very few 7-5 results, at a random guess with no basis maybe it is as few as say 6? My guess would be no team has lost 7-5 twice in the League, and I am sure you are right about Reading being the only team to lose 7-5 three times - absolutely amazing!

Only once has a team scored more and lost - the famous Charlton 7 Huddersfield 6 match in 1957.

[IDM]

This score stood out because it was Reading again - I haven't found any other occasions apart from a game in the 1954 world cup finals featuring Austria beating Switzerland..

[drfchound]

Of course even though it was the U23 team it is officially a first team game.

[Dutch Uncle]

This score stood out because it was Reading again - I haven't found any other occasions apart from a game in the 1954 world cup finals featuring Austria beating Switzerland..

Have found an old Rothmans (2001-02) which gives more details of scores occurring in Football League games. Out of those 45 matches with 12 goals 7 were won 7-5 - five times by home teams and twice by away teams. This is from the start of the Football League in 1888. That is how rare that score is.

There have also been 2 matches drawn 6-6, so on only three occasiosn has a team scored 6 and failed to win

[IDM]

Were there any more 7-5 defeats for Reading? 

It must be harder to find records for cup ties too?

[Dutch Uncle]

Short of contacting Reading FC I can't see how to determine if they were any of the 6 other losers in a 7-5 match in the League, or have lost any more than the recent two cup matches.

The odds of being one of those 6 losers would be probably be less than about 6 in a 100 (their first league season was 1920)

I do have a book with each team's FA Cup record up to 2003. There are no 7-5 scores for them in the FA Cup, although there was a 0-18 in 1893-94. In 1891-92 they lost a match 7-0, their opponents were disqualified, and they then lost 8-2 in the next round.

[andysly]

Just seen highlights on Sky. With 2 decent keepers there would only have been half those goals. Reading keeper should try his hand at another occupation

[The Red Baron]

https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=UsM6ttJe_vA&feature=youtu.be

Well worth a watch, if only for comedy value. I've seen better goalkeeping on a Sunday morning. The penalty miss is a hoot, too.

[RoversAlias]

Jesus that is a bad goalkeeping display.

EDIT: Gills keeper there is ex-Rovers stopper Stuart Nelson, but he did somewhat better than Reading's Legg.