Reading v Leicester

Reading 3

Leigertwood 15′ Roberts 75′ Church 89′

Leicester 1

Danns 90′

FT 90 +3
HT 1-0

Reading 3-1 Leicester

Reading made it eight successive league wins to go level with West Ham and boost their automatic promotion hopes.

Mikele Leigertwood sent the Royals on their way with a stunning opener.

Leicester improved after half-time but they wasted a series of chances before Reading extended their advantage with a close-range Jason Roberts strike.

Simon Church added a third with a well-directed header and although Neil Danns pulled a goal back for Leicester in injury time they finished well beaten.

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The victory - watched by a near-22,000 crowd - saw Reading climb level with West Ham, who are only narrowly ahead of the Royals on goal difference.

Reading manager Brian McDermott will have high hopes that his side can maintain their promotion challenge and return to the top-flight after a three-season absence.

They started brightly and Foxes keeper Kasper Schmeichel saved from Noel Hunt before Wes Morgan cleared off the line from Hal Robson-Kanu.

Leicester fell behind on the quarter-hour mark when Leigertwood fired the Royals in front with a powerful shot which flew into the top right-hand corner of the net.

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The visitors improved after the break when Lloyd Dyer crossed to Danny Drinkwater on the edge of the penalty area, but Drinkwater could not direct his effort on target before David Nugent shot wide after cutting in from the left.

Nugent then headed a Drinkwater corner wide as the Foxes continued to put pressure on Reading.

Reading always looked dangerous on the counter attack and shortly after having appeals for a penalty turned down when Roberts went down in the box, they added a second on 75 minutes.

Hunt charged down the right and picked out Roberts in the box who finished clinically from six yards.

And Hunt was again the provider with a minute left, finding substitute Church to nod home and, although Danns took some of the gloss off the performance with a consolation for Leicester, Reading's promotion push remains firmly on course.

Lineup, Bookings (2) & Substitutions (4)

Reading

01 Federici
05 Pearce
17 Gorkss
23 Harte
24 Cummings
04 Karacan
08 Leigertwood Booked
11 McAnuff
19 Robson-Kanu
10 Hunt
33 Roberts (Church - 84' )

Substitutes

31 Andersen
07 Tabb
41 Cywka
09 Le Fondre
18 Church

Leicester City

01 Schmeichel
02 Peltier
12 St Ledger
26 Morgan
30 Kennedy (Bamba - 46' )
11 Dyer
16 Drinkwater (Gallagher - 73' )
19 Wellens
23 Danns
20 Beckford (Howard - 46' Booked )
35 Nugent

Substitutes

06 Bamba
27 Schlupp
07 Gallagher
09 Howard
22 Marshall

Ref: Robert Madley

Att: 21,858

Match Stats

Possession 52 48

Shots

11 18

On target

9 8

Corners

2 8

Fouls

11 6

Live Text Commentary

90:00 +2:38 Full time

Full Time The referee brings the game to a close.

90:00 +1:19 Goal scored

Goal - Neil Danns - Reading 3 - 1 Leicester Neil Danns grabs a goal from just outside the penalty area to the bottom right corner of the goal. Reading 3-1 Leicester.

90:00 +1:02

The ball is delivered by Paul Gallagher, Shaun Cummings manages to make a clearance.

88:48

Assist by Noel Hunt.

88:48 Goal scored

Goal - Simon Church - Reading 3 - 0 Leicester Simon Church finds the net with a headed goal from inside the six-yard box. Reading 3-0 Leicester.

87:40

Noel Hunt has an effort at goal from just inside the box that misses to the right of the target.

87:33

Jobi McAnuff produces a cross, clearance by Souleymane Bamba.

85:01

Outswinging corner taken right-footed by Paul Gallagher, Header on goal by Steve Howard from just inside the area goes over the goal.

84:22

The offside flag is raised against Hal Robson-Kanu. Kasper Schmeichel takes the indirect free kick.

83:03 Substitution

Substitution Jason Roberts goes off and Simon Church comes on.