Reading FC 1-0 Fulham: Player Ratings

Ali Al-Habsi - 8

Ali Al-Flapsi, they used to call him. And sure, his kicking was occasionally errant but this was a top class performance from a top class goalkeeper. Double saves, set-piece saves, close range scrambles, one-on-ones, he pulled them all off. A fine display.

Chris Gunter - 7

Let's face the facts, Fulham are the best team in the league at packing out the flanks and utilising the overlap. Far be it from me to criticise a full-back faced with that task, and while Gunter didn't get everything right on Tuesday night, he got a hell of a lot right.

Liam Moore - 8

Solid as a rock. He played it short at the right time and played it long at the right time. He threw his body in the way and kept his head. A supremely disciplined display from the former Leicester man that reminded us why the Championship is not his true level.

Joey van den Berg - 8

A veritable passing master when it comes to playing out from the back, the Dutchman also has a strong leadership vibe about him when among a three-man central defence. Thoroughly deserved his clean sheet and a starting berth at Wembley.

Tiago Ilori - 7

Oh so close to an eight, and would deserve one if only for his supreme athletic ability. Reading have never had a pacier centre-back, but like Gunter his decision making was often a little off and the Portuguese defender - on his full home debut, no less - often put Al-Habsi under undue pressure with his back passes.

Tyler Blackett - 6

Taken off in the second half after a storm from Fulham wing-back extroadinaire Fredericks, but Blackett did a relatively good job. Sent out to man mark, he fulfilled that job to a degree and was encouraged to drop back to dissuade his rival's pace, but ended up doing it a little too much and that put Reading under pressure.

George Evans - 8

The unsung hero of the hour. What a performance from the ex-Walsall lad. Fulham's best player is Tom Cairney, and what did he do on Tuesday night? Nothing. That's down to George Evans. Pocketed.

Danny Williams - 7

Not quite the troubadour performance witnessed at Craven Cottage, Williams was still incredibly smart with his driving runs on the ball and put in a shift off it.

John Swift - 6

It's sad to say that Swift has been the disappointment of the play-offs thus far. Absent in the first leg, the England U21 international was adventurous at the Mad Stad but let the ball run away from him a little too often. And let's not talk about that miss...

Lewis Grabban - 7

In a sense the loanee forward was like Swift, running hard and getting in the right areas but not getting that final touch necessary for a sealing goal. Still, Grabban provided a vital outlet that no other player can claim, making a number of quick, intelligent runs on the counter.

Yann Kermorgant - 8

Cometh the hour, cometh the man. The Frenchman dispelled his own personal play-off demons with a fierce penalty and led the line like the workhorse he is. He leapt for headers, chased opponents, brought teammates into the game... and got the winner.

Substitutes:

Garath McCleary - 6

Came on into the right wing-back role and covered the required ground without being too bucaneering going forward, an understandable compromise late in the game.

Liam Kelly - 6

Took part in one breakaway but, again, was restricted to the donkey work with Fulham pressing for an equaliser.

Joseph Mendes - N/A