Reading 1 (Owusu 42)
Wigan 1 (Mahon 26)

Reading: Hahnemann, Murty, Shorey, Sonko, Ingimarsson, Harper, Sidwell, Little, Hughes, Morgan, Owusu
Subs not used: Goater, Convey, Brooker, Newman, Young

Wigan: Filan, Eaden, Baines, Jackson, Breckin, Mahon (Wright 78), Bullard, Teale (Flynn 81), McCulloch (Graham 22), Roberts, Ellington
Subs not used: Walsh, McMillan

Yellow cards: Graham

Att: 22,114

The Royals battled out a 1-1 draw with Wigan Athletic in an entertaining tussle at a packed Madejski Stadium as Lloyd Owusu's spectacular header cancelled out Alan Mahon's fortunate deflected effort.

Reading started strongly, and after five minutes Dean Morgan's right wing cross narrowly eluded the onrushing Andy Hughes.

Wigan soon took control though, forcing the Royals onto the back foot with a series of patiently constructed attacks. Their first shot came after 12 minutes, when Mahon let fly with a brilliant 35-yard effort that flew just past the top right-hand corner.

Midway through the opening period the visitors had to reshuffle as David Graham replaced the injured Lee McCulluch, and Graham went up front alongside Jason Roberts as Nathan Ellington dropped back onto the left wing.

That change didn't disrupt the Latics' rhythm, though, and before long Graham was just wide with a low shot from the edge of the box after good approach play by Roberts.

After 26 minutes Ibrahima Sonko fouled Graham on the edge of the box. From the free-kick, Leighton Baines shaped to shoot but instead the ball was rolled to Mahon, whose low drive was heading towards the right-hand corner but deflected off James Harper in the wall and span viciously into the opposite corner, leaving Marcus Hahnemann stranded.

Wigan remained on top and Jimmy Bullard produced a comfortable save from Hahnemann with a 40-yard free-kick shortly after the restart.

Gradually, though, the Royals began to assert themselves and twice got in behind the Wigan defence, firstly when Glen Little's cross was just cleared away from Owusu, and then when Owusu broke free down the right but mishit his cross behind for a goal-kick.

With time running out in the first half, Steve Sidwell gained possession in midfield and swept a perfect pass into Little's stride in space on the right. The winger delivered a wonderful cross into the heart of the penalty area, where Owusu arrived to bullet an unstoppable header past the helpless John Filan for the equaliser.

Reading started the second period strongly, and after 48 minutes a Wigan corner was cleared and the Royals found Morgan on the left. The former Colchester man burst past two challenges and cut into the area before drilling a low shot towards the bottom left-hand corner, but Filan made an exceptional save to turn the ball away.

The Royals continued to press, and from a dangerous Little cross Matt Jackson sliced a clearance high into the air and towards his own goal, but although Filan spilled the ball under pressure from Owusu, the linesman flagged for a dubious foul by the Reading goalscorer.

Another chance came on 58 minutes when Hahnemann delivered a long ball into the Wigan penalty area and the ball ricocheted into the path of Morgan, who smashed a first-time shot goalwards from close range but the ball cannoned off the onrushing Filan and flew to safety.

Morgan was looking dangerous, and made a great run down the left wing to win a corner which the Latics cleared before Nicky Shorey had to produce a composed piece of defending to clear Ellington's dangerous cross with Gary Teale breathing down his neck.

After 63 minutes Graham released Teale through the middle and the winger seemed to be clear on goal before Hahnemann rushed off his line and just about did enough to scramble the ball away.

Midway through the period Roberts held up the ball well and laid a pass to Bullard, whose left-footed effort from 20 yards was easily saved by Hahnemann. Reading immediately counter-attacked and Morgan dribbled down the right before being fouled, but the resulting free-kick came to nothing.

Shortly afterwards Morgan was involved again, doing well to win a free-kick which was taken quickly to release Sidwell down the right, and his low cross fizzed across the face of goal, narrowly too far ahead of Hughes and Owusu.

After a sluggish start to the game, Reading were now on top of their and dominating the League leaders, thrusting purposefully down the flanks and forcing the visiting defenders into a series of hasty clearances, while at the other end Ingimarsson and Sonko expertly thwarted Wigan's attempted attacks - but the second goal wouldn't come.

With five minutes remaining Shorey whipped in a brilliant right-wing free-kick which was met by Sonko's header but deflected behind off Jackson. The resulting corner was cleared to Little, who tried his luck with an angled drive but it flew over the crossbar.

The Latics offered a rare moment of threat in the final two minutes when Ellington did well down the left, skipped into the area and cut back a low cross narrowly behind Roberts, allowing Ingimarsson to clear.

As the game approached stoppage time, Little lofted a pass through to Morgan who crashed a first-time volley goalwards but Jackson blocked. The loose ball ran kindly for Wigan who tried to release Roberts through the middle, but again the outstanding Ingimarsson timed his challenge to perfection.

Three minutes of stoppage time were added, and the game seemed to be fizzling out when Morgan was upended 30 yards from goal, slightly right of centre.

Up stepped Shorey, and the left-back arrowed a brilliant free-kick towards the top right-hand corner, but Wigan were relieved to see the ball crash against the crossbar and spin behind for a goal-kick.

So honours were even, but Reading will feel mightily encouraged by their excellent second-half showing.

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