:format(webp)/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_image/image/52227581/15397787_10157721152985136_117041849_o.0.jpeg)
If the sign of a good team is being able to pick up wins even when you're not playing well, then Reading might just be in for glory come the end of the season. We'll have more analysis in a full report and player ratings a little later this weekend but for now here's the key moments from a 2-1 win against Sheffield Wednesday.
Jaap Stam made just one change coming into the game, with the suspended Danny Williams being replaced by the now un-suspended Liam Moore as Reading went back to the three at the back system that had been successful in their past three home games.
Unlike last week, Reading managed to dominate the possession as Wednesday were quite happy to keep men behind the ball. Yet while Stam's side had lots of possession, it was Sheffield Wednesday who were the more threatening, forcing Al-Habsi into the only major save of a first period that ended with a combined two shots on target.
Wednesday continued to be the more threatening at the start of the second-half, wasting a golden chance when Lucas Joao somehow failed to tuck it inside Al-Habsi's right-hand post.
Yet just when you thought Reading were going to be ground down, a fortunate ricochet in the area following a Beerens shot ended up with the ball in the back of the Owls goal; 1-0 Reading.
The visitors threw all they could at Reading but some gutsy back-to-the-wall defending held them at bay before Stam's side got the killer blow. This time Beerens needed no help from a deflection, as substitute Yann Kermorgant's flick-on found the Dutchman who finished well.
Sheffield Wednesday set up a nervy finish when Steven Fletcher headed in during stoppage time but Reading got themselves over the finish line via another late Al-Habsi stop to seal a 2-1 win.
Reading far from dominated the game but you have to take your chances and we did just that. In boxing terms, we're not that glamorous heavyweight who's going to excite the fans with killer knockouts, instead we're a fighter who's happy to soak up punishment and wait for our chance to strike. Sure, sometimes we get knocked out in spectacular fashion, like last week at Craven Cottage, but we're a team who have that nack of staying in the contest and getting the right result.
As mentioned, we'll have more thoughts and player ratings up later this weekend but in the mean time here's to another three points.
Reading: Al-Habsi, Obita, Blackett, Moore, McShane, Gunter, Evans, van den Berg (Kelly), Beerens, McCleary (Mendes), Samuel (Kermorgant)