He was eight over par and had no hope of the

He was eight over par and had no hope of the top-nine finish he needed to keep a European tour card he has held for 25 years. The 45-year-old will be seeking sponsors’ invitations next season.
While Paul Casey moved four clear of the field in a frost-delayed second round, Gallacher, the nephew of the former Ryder Cup captain Bernard, moved into contention for his first tour title with a 64 and joint second place at Club de Campo But it should have been a 63. Stephen Gallacher missed equalling the lowest round of his European career here at the Madrid Open after incurring a one-shot penalty for hitting the ball when he did not mean to. At the other end of the field, Sandy Lyle, suffering from flu, retired from the event on the fourth hole.

Substitutes not used: Montgomery, Rankine.Reading (4-5-1): Hahnemann; Newman, Williams, Ingimarsson, Shorey; Murray, Sidwell, Hughes (Watson, 84), Harper, Salako; Forster. Substitutes not used: Goater, Savage, Tyson, Ashdown (gk).Referee: S Tomlin (Lewes).. Time is not running out in October but this is a division which nobody, bar perhaps Wigan, appears to be grabbing by the scruff of the neck.Sheffield United (4-4-2): Gerrard; Kozluk, Jagielka, Morgan, Whitlow (Armstrong, 75); Ndlovu, Brown, McCall (Allison, 86), Tonge; Lester (Peschisolido, 69), Ward. They were happy to continue lying deep and looked far more likely to score than an increasingly panicky and impatient United side.

It came from nowhere; a vicious, curling right-footed shot which left Gerrard rooted to the spot and which appeared to hinder United’s rhythm and confidence until well into the second half.Reading did not have to change their game. Until Nicky Forster’s goal sank Bramall Lane into frustration and disbelief, they were by turns inventive and insistent. A delightful flick from Jack Lester presented Ward with another chance which this time was blocked. Three minutes before the interval, Stuart McCall’s fine diagonal pass set up Rob Kozluk for a fierce drive that required a reflex save from Marcus Hahnemann.It was nothing to what Forster, Reading’s lone striker, unleashed moments later.