ANYONE expecting next week’s replay to be played on a perfect surface faces a nasty shock.

The Valley Parade pitch once more came in for flak after Saturday’s goalless encounter and was criticised by TV.

But Reading have their own problems with their Madejski Stadium home, which they share with Aviva Premiership rugby side London Irish.

Royals boss Steve Clarke joked: “The other week I heard a London Irish rugby guy complaining and saying ‘how can you play running rugby on it?’’

“The Premier League play on carpets every week and everyone wants to pass the ball. The game has probably gone a little bit soft.”

Phil Parkinson had already highlighted the issues with the Championship club’s pitch before the game.

He said: “Someone told me afterwards will you enjoy going down there and playing on a better pitch!

“Well, it’s a slightly better pitch but not much – it is not a great. And they have obviously had a lot of practice on how to play on it. They certainly weren’t fazed by this pitch.

“To be fair to Steve Clarke, he never made an issue in the build-up and I think that was a smart move because the minute you put it into your players’ minds, it is going to be difficult.”

Clarke has dismissed suggestions that Reading will now be favourites because of home advantage. The bookies had slightly favoured City for the Valley Parade clash.

Clarke added: “I said it was 50/50 before the game and it is still exactly the same.

“You saw the game and it will be the same type at the Madejski. The team who gets the break on the night will go through.

“This was the ninth game we’ve played since February 7 and we play again tomorrow.

“Every time we go through in the cup, the league game goes back to the following midweek. We haven’t had a break.

“But it was a proper cup tie and the next game will be exactly the same, even though it’s a Monday night and the players will be a little bit fatigued.

“We were determined to be in the hat (for the semi-final draw) and we are. The dream for both sets of supporters can go a little bit longer.

“Everybody stepped up to the mark on Saturday – as did every Bradford player. That’s why it was such a good cup tie with such good, honest football.”