2001 Football League Second Division play-off Final
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| After Extra Time (Score after 90 minutes 1-1) | |||||||
| Date | 27 May 2001 | ||||||
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| Venue | Millennium Stadium, Cardiff | ||||||
| Referee | E. K. Wolstenholme | ||||||
| Attendance | 50,496 | ||||||
The 2001 Football League Division Two play-off Final was contested by Walsall and Reading. It was the first season that the play-off Finals were contested in Cardiff's Millennium Stadium following the demolition of Wembley.
Background
Route to the Final
- Reading: Reading beat Wigan 2-1 on aggregate after a 0-0 draw and a 2-1 second leg win.
- Walsall: Walsall beat Stoke 4-2 at Home in the second leg, after 0-0 draw at Stoke's Britannia Stadium.
Match Summary
Reading scored the opening goal from a throw in. Jamie Cureton's volley crept in underneath Walsall goalkeeper Jimmy Walker. Don Goodman scored the leveler for Walsall just after half-time to take the game into extra-time.
Reading made a storming start to extra-time with, ex-Walsall striker, Martin Butler scoring a header inside the first 2 minutes. A treble substitution by Walsall manager Ray Graydon on 98 minutes changed the game. Walsall's Dean Keates forced an own-goal by Reading's Tony Rougier on 107 minutes. Walsall nicked it 2 minutes later virtue of a stunning turn and shot from substitute Darren Byfield.
Match details
| Walsall | 3–2 | Reading |
|---|---|---|
Goodman  48'Rougier 107' (o.g.)Byfield 109' |
Report | Cureton 31' Butler 91' |
Millennium Stadium, Cardiff Attendance: 50,496 |
        Walsall
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 Reading
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MATCH RULES
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References
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