Birmingham City 2-1 Reading FC: Instant Reaction

Steve Clarke's side opened up their Championship campaign with a narrow defeat away at Birmingham City. The Royals shaded a close and cagey first half, including hitting the bar from a Oliver Norwood free kick, but went in behind when David Cotterill's free kick was cruely deflected past Jonathan Bond.

The second half had barely started when the Blues doubled their lead to leave Reading with a mountain to climb. Far from crumble the Royals mounted an impressive come back and ended up the game perhaps feeling they should have won let alone draw.

The impressive Nick Blackman continued his fine form with a lovely headed goal. At the death Reading had a chance to get a deserved equaliser when Simon Cox was bundled over only for debutant Orlando Sa to weakly miss.

We'll have a full match report, player ratings and much more analysis from St Andrew's over the next couple of days right here on The Tilehurst End.