Soccer
Reading’s James Beattie sees more to come from two-goal Kelvin Ehibhatiomhan
Reading first-team coach James Beattie believes that there is more to come from Kelvin Ehibhatiomhan after the striker’s two goals helped the Royals to a 3-0 home win over Wigan in Sky Bet League One.
Ehibhatiomhan, 22, took his tally for the season to 10 with goals in the ninth and 63rd minutes as Reading moved back into the third-tier play-off places.
An own goal from Wigan defender Will Aimson had made it 2-0 in the 19th minute.
“A lot of credit has to go to Kelvin,” Beattie said. “He’s the one on the training pitch and he’s the one that’s listening.
“He’s now taking up far better positions and he’s more aggressive. He’s getting there but there’s still a lot more to come from him.
“I would expect a lot more from him and I hope that he would expect a lot more from himself.
“With Kelvin’s physique and profile, he’s a big man. We’ve asked him to try to use that a bit more. It’s all a process.”
Beattie was deputising for Royals manager Leam Richardson, a previous boss of Wigan, who felt unwell after the game.
“Leam’s not very well,” Beattie – once assistant manager of the Latics – said. “He’s not been well most of this week so he sent me out.
“It was a good performance, especially after last week [1-0 defeat at Stevenage]. We were all disappointed with that one. We wanted to be better for ourselves and also the fans.
“A clean sheet, 3-0, scoring goals and controlling major parts of the game was very pleasing. It’s another step along the way.
“We work hard in every aspect of the game and, of course, the defenders take great pride in clean sheets.
“It’s the first in a while [in 12 games] and hopefully there’s more to come.”
Wigan’s three-match unbeaten run came to an end and they now sit just two points above the relegation zone.
Head coach Gary Caldwell said: “We didn’t start the game with the intensity out of possession that we required.
“In possession, I thought that we actually looked OK. We started the game on the front foot and played a lot of the game in their half.
“But when you can’t defend simple long balls and you can’t defend balls in your box, you then give them [Reading] a two-goal start.
“They are pushing for the play-offs, playing with momentum and at home, then you give yourselves a mountain to climb.
“I thought that we huffed and puffed in the second half. But it was not enough and it’s another setback that we have to recover from quickly.
“There’s still seven big games to go. We can’t ever rest, never mind this season.
“Any time you play for this football club, it has to be about the next day, the next action, the next game.”
