Match ends, Bristol City 2, Reading 3.
Bristol City 2-3 Reading
- From the section Football
Yann Kermogant scored two late goals as Reading came from behind to snatch victory against Bristol City.
Tammy Abraham gave Bristol City the lead when he pounced on a rebound, before doubling his side's lead minutes after the break from the spot after Tyler Blackett felled Callum O'Dowda.
Liam Kelly began Reading's comeback before Kermogant lashed home an equaliser with four minutes to play.
And the striker struck again with a superb effort to win it for the Royals.
Reading, who began the day in third place in the Championship table, were looking for their third straight victory after their final game of 2016 against Fulham was abandoned due to fog.
But it was City, who have now lost nine of their last 10 games, who took a surprising 2-0 lead courtesy of top scorer Abraham's brace following Reading's defensive errors.
Goalkeeper Ali Al-Habsi's poor pass out fell to Joe Bryan which led to Abraham's first, before the Bristol City striker added his 17th goal of the season in all competitions, after Blackett's clumsy challenge in the box.
Reading began their charge in the 72nd-minute through substitute Kelly, before Kermogant netted twice in seven minutes to complete the comeback in stoppage time, and they remain third in the Championship table, while Bristol City fall one place to 18th.
Reading manager Jaap Stam told BBC Radio Berkshire:
"We're very pleased with that, in terms of how we played as most of the time we controlled the game and scored three goals in the second half as well to win.
"At times in the first half, we were careless giving the ball away allowing them to break on the counter.
"We needed to step up and be better than that in the second half. After conceding a second goal, we stuck to our plan and were patient.
"We got our crisp, quick passing going and that's what we did right up until the end of the game."
Line-ups
Bristol City
- 1Fielding
- 2LittleBooked at 64mins
- 4Flint
- 27Matthews
- 13Golbourne
- 7Smith
- 11O'DowdaSubstituted forReidat 61'minutes
- 8Brownhill
- 3Bryan
- 15FreemanSubstituted forWilbrahamat 78'minutes
- 9AbrahamBooked at 62mins
Substitutes
- 10Tomlin
- 12O'Donnell
- 14Reid
- 16Engvall
- 18Wilbraham
- 20Paterson
- 25Kelly
Reading
- 26Al Habsi
- 2Gunter
- 5McShane
- 16MooreBooked at 77mins
- 24BlackettSubstituted forObitaat 54'minutes
- 4van den BergBooked at 68mins
- 23Williams
- 12McClearySubstituted forMeiteat 83'minutes
- 8SwiftSubstituted forKellyat 66'minutes
- 7Beerens
- 18KermorgantBooked at 39mins
Substitutes
- 3Cooper
- 6Evans
- 11Obita
- 14Samuel
- 19Meite
- 38Kelly
- 40Moore
- Referee:
- Roger East
- Attendance:
- 20,074
Match Stats
Home TeamBristol CityAway TeamReading
- Possession
- Home28%
- Away72%
- Shots
- Home11
- Away12
- Shots on Target
- Home6
- Away6
- Corners
- Home1
- Away2
- Fouls
- Home15
- Away12
Live Text
Full Time
Second Half ends, Bristol City 2, Reading 3.
Offside, Reading. Yann Kermorgant tries a through ball, but Yakou Meite is caught offside.
Goal!
Goal! Bristol City 2, Reading 3. Yann Kermorgant (Reading) right footed shot from outside the box to the bottom left corner. Assisted by Joey van den Berg.
Attempt missed. Tammy Abraham (Bristol City) header from the centre of the box is close, but misses the top left corner. Assisted by Scott Golbourne with a cross.
Goal!
Goal! Bristol City 2, Reading 2. Yann Kermorgant (Reading) right footed shot from the centre of the box to the bottom left corner. Assisted by Liam Kelly.
Chris Gunter (Reading) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
Foul by Joe Bryan (Bristol City).
Substitution
Substitution, Reading. Yakou Meite replaces Garath McCleary.
Corner, Reading. Conceded by Mark Little.
Foul by Paul McShane (Reading).
Tammy Abraham (Bristol City) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
Liam Moore (Reading) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
Foul by Aaron Wilbraham (Bristol City).
Substitution
Substitution, Bristol City. Aaron Wilbraham replaces Luke Freeman.
Booking
Liam Moore (Reading) is shown the yellow card for a bad foul.
Foul by Liam Moore (Reading).
Bobby Reid (Bristol City) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
Foul by Yann Kermorgant (Reading).
Joe Bryan (Bristol City) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
Goal!
Goal! Bristol City 2, Reading 1. Liam Kelly (Reading) right footed shot from the centre of the box to the bottom left corner. Assisted by Chris Gunter.
Attempt saved. Garath McCleary (Reading) left footed shot from outside the box is saved in the centre of the goal. Assisted by Liam Kelly.
Liam Kelly (Reading) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
Foul by Luke Freeman (Bristol City).
Corner, Bristol City. Conceded by Paul McShane.
Booking
Joey van den Berg (Reading) is shown the yellow card for a bad foul.
Foul by Joey van den Berg (Reading).
Joe Bryan (Bristol City) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
Yann Kermorgant (Reading) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
Foul by Bobby Reid (Bristol City).
Substitution
Substitution, Reading. Liam Kelly replaces John Swift.
Booking
Mark Little (Bristol City) is shown the yellow card.
Foul by Jordan Obita (Reading).
Bobby Reid (Bristol City) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
Booking
Tammy Abraham (Bristol City) is shown the yellow card.
Jordan Obita (Reading) wins a free kick in the attacking half.
Foul by Josh Brownhill (Bristol City).
Substitution
Substitution, Bristol City. Bobby Reid replaces Callum O'Dowda because of an injury.
Chris Gunter (Reading) wins a free kick on the right wing.
Foul by Scott Golbourne (Bristol City).
