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Reading FC: Al Habsi; Gunter, McShane, L. Moore, Blackett; Evans, Kelly, van Den Berg; Beerens, McCleary; Samuel
Subs: S. Moore, Cooper, Harriott, Wieser, Kermorgant, Meite, Watson
Goals from Dominic Samuel, Liam Moore and George Evans were enough to give Reading an impressive victory in Lancashire, as they rose back up into third place in the EFL Championship.
Just as they did at Elland Road in midweek, the Royals started brightly. Dominic Samuel could have put the visitors ahead after just five minutes, when a clever dummy from Paul McShane left him with a chance in the box, but he scuffed his effort wide.
The Royals continued to press and they were eventually rewarded for their efforts just after the half-hour mark. A lovely reverse through ball from Gareth McCleary was met by Dominic Samuel, who drilled a fine right-footed effort into Jason Steele's net for his second league goal of the season.
But for all their hard work in the opening period, the visitors were unable to see out their lead until half time. Just moments after Marvin Emnes had rattled the Reading bar, a good initial save from Ali Al-Habsi saw the ball reach former Swansea striker Danny Graham, who pounced to head in the equaliser with less than a minute of the first forty-five remaining.
Undeterred by this late sucker-punch, it was again Reading who continued to display more attacking enterprise than their hosts as the second half began and as the hour mark passed, they finally made the most of their pressure. After a thunderbolt 20 yard effort from Liam Kelly hit underside the crossbar, a quick thinking Liam Moore was able to improvise a clever finish with his chest and place the ball into an empty net. Yet the Royals were again unable to hold onto their lead, as on 73 minutes, former Manchester United defender Wes Brown rose to head home a controversially-awarded corner.
Just as it appeared that Reading were going to have to settle for a point, some clever interplay from McCleary and Chris Gunter allowed George Evans to find an injury-time winner, as he hit the back of the net with a right-footed drive that was enough to secure all three points for the Royals.