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Football can be a cruel game and this evening Reading were sunk by a dose a bad luck they simply didn’t deserve.

Steve Clarke’s side were magnificent, every single one of them gave every last drop of energy they had against Arsenal.

They pushed the Gunners all the way before ultimately being downed by one horrible moment of misfortune in extra-time.

When Alexis Sanchez cut inside Chris Gunter and fired towards goal, every one of the 84,081 fans inside the stadium expected Adam Federici to gather the ball comfortably at his near post.

But instead it slipped from his grasp, through his legs and tricked slowly, agonisingly over the goal-line.

Federici tried to recover, he desperately flung himself backwards and clawed the ball away. But the damage had been done. Arsenal were already celebrating, the goal had been given.

It was a horrible moment for the keeper and in the end it proved to be the decisive incident in a titanic contest.

As the full-time whistle blew, Federici burst into tears. Steve Clarke tried to comfort him, but he was inconsolable. The fact it was all played out on TV screens made it even tougher to watch.

The Aussie keeper has been brilliant this season, next week he will more than likely be picking up a player of the year award before the Brentford game. As I said before, football is a cruel game.

But this match shouldn’t be made to be about Federici. As a clearly devastated Chris Gunter just said to me downstairs, “we win together and we lose together.”

What this match should be remembered for is the performance given by every single one of those players out there who pulled on the blue and white shirts.

Heroic almost doesn’t do it justice. No-one gave them a chance, I’ll hold my hands up here and admit I thought Arsenal would cruise through to the final.

Yet Reading, 19th in the Championship pushed Europe’s most in-form team right the wire. As Arsene Wenger left the pitch after 120 absorbing minutes, he knew his side had got out of jail.

This was such a magnificent team performance it almost feels wrong to highlight any individuals. But Michael Hector and Jamie Mackie were truly outstanding.

The improvement in Hector has been something to behold in recent weeks and this evening, on the biggest stage of them all, he delivered at the very highest level.

(Image: Eddie Greville)

The boy who came through the youth ranks at Madejski Stadium, turned into a man in front of our very eyes.

It was interesting to see down in the bowels of Wembley, well after the full-time whistle had been blown, Wenger make a beeline for the defender to shake his hand. The Gunners boss knew how good he had been.

And the same goes for Mackie. He was everywhere, he didn’t give the Arsenal defence a moments rest throughout all 120 minutes.

When most were looking weary, showing signs of cramp, he was still going, desperately trying to get his side back in the game.

It didn’t happen, however, and when Reading’s players wake up tomorrow morning it will be a case of so near, yet so far.

The club have waited 88 years to reach their second FA Cup semi-final. But as was the case in 1927, they fell at the penultimate hurdle.

But my word they gave it everything, as did the hordes of Reading fans who never stopped singing, never stopped believing. You are and were a credit to your club.

So hold your heads up high. Every single one of you. You were magnificent, as were the players. Arsenal may be the ones heading to the final, but Reading showed everyone what this great club is all about today.

Urzz!!!