Blackburn 3 (McCarthy 21, Bentley 56, Derbyshire 67)
Reading 3 (Seol 36, Doyle 58, Gunnarsson 77)

The Royals ended up just a goal away from Europe after a 3-3 draw at Blackburn today.

It was an incredible game. and Reading threw the kitchen sink at the home defence late on, having an Ivar Ingimarsson goal disallowed in the process.

Nicky Shorey had also hit the post earlier in the game, and Stephen Hunt put a great chance wide after going clean through.

It has still been an absolutely amazing season, but it's hard not to be disappointed at being so close to the UEFA Cup.

Eighth place is a superb finish, and it's also worth noting that both the other promoted sides were relegated, highlighting the magnitude of our achievement.

Reading started the game well, and were unlucky not to go ahead as Shorey his the post and also shot inches wide.

Benni McCarthy then took advantage of some static defending to give Rovers the lead, and Marcus Hahnemann was very unhappy as he felt he was fouled by Shabani Nonda in the build-up.

The big American was forced off, but Reading soon clawed their way back into it with Seol's header from Hunt's corner.

Hunt should have done better when one-on-one just after the break, and David Bentley made us pay by making it 2-1.

Kevin Doyle soon levelled, but sub Matt Derbyshire made it 3-2 with his first touch.

Reading sub Leroy Lita had a good chance, and Brynjar Gunnarsson scored a cracker to make it 3-3 with 13 minutes left.

One more goal would have put us in Europe, and Ingimarsson had a header disallowed. The decision looked very close, and we could not come any closer to scoring.

Blackburn (4-4-2): Friedel; Emerton, Warnock, Samba, Nelsen, Mokoena, Tugay (Dunn 69), Bentley, Pedersen, Nonda (Derbyshire 65), McCarthy
Subs: Brown, Henchoz, Treacy
Booked: Samba

Reading (4-4-2): Hahnemann (Federici 22); De La Cruz, Shorey, Duberry, Ingimarsson (c); Harper, Gunnarsson, Seol, Hunt (Oster 69); Long (Lita 65), Doyle
Subs: Bikey, Kitson

Ref: Alan Wiley

Attendance: 22,671

First half
Steve Coppell made four changes to his starting line-up, and Steve Sidwell was not part of our 16 man squad, signalling the end of his Reading career.

The Royals started brightly, and with just four minutes gone Nicky Shorey was no more than six inches away from an opener.

James Harper's corner was headed out to our left back, and he volleyed goalward with great technique, but it curled agonisingly wide.

Blackburn had a couple of breaks, and Shabani Nonda should have done better from a long ball, but his touch was poor.

With 20 minutes gone Shorey came even closer to a goal. Again his technique was superb as he shot for goal from fully 25 yards, but it cannoned off the post and rolled just outside the goalline.

Rovers broke quickly, and a poor touch from Michael Duberry eventually led to a chance for Nonda, but he shot at Marcus Hahnemann.

The game was very open, and Morten Gamst Pedersen had a decent chance but again it was right at the keeper.

Blackburn took first blood with 20 minutes to go. Tugay kept the ball in play on the left wing, and with the Royals defence caught very static, Pedersen delivered in a cross.

Nonda and Hahnemann both went for it at the front post, and the Royals were unhappy with the striker's challenge, but play was allowed to continue as it spilled from Hahnemann's grasp for Benni McCarthy to tap home.

Hahnemann was forced off injured, and he remonstrated with the officials for a long while about their decision to allow the goal. It appeared that Nonda caught him late as he tried to nick the ball, but it did seem to be accidental by the big Congolese.

The goal gave Rovers a head of steam, and Adam Federici had to watch a couple of shots fly wide in quick succession.

Reading were certainly not about to lie down though, and after weathering the brief storm they clawed themselves level.

Stephen Hunt won a corner down our right, and took it himself, with his delivery finding Seol Ki-Hyeon at the back post; the Korean placing home a great header in off the near post.

Nonda was then inches away from a goal, and fans of both teams were paying close attention to goals at the Reebok before the break.

Second half
Reading had an absolutely glorious chance to take the lead just three minutes after the break.

Hunt won the ball on the edge of his own box, and he exchanged passes with Seol to go completely clear on goal.

He had no defender within 30 yards of him, but shot from outside the box and skewed horribly wide to waste a brilliant chance.

Reading were immediately to rue that miss as Blackburn took the lead again.

Stephen Warnock danced into the box, and stayed on his feet despite a late tackle from Duberry.

His low cross gave Pedersen an absolute sitter, but he somehow hit the post, only for Bentley to tidy up from six inches out.

It was still all to play for though, and Reading were level again within minutes.

Shorey took a quick free kick to Ulises De La Cruz, who was given acres of space to run into.

The Ecuadorian picked out Kevin Doyle, and he headed into the centre of the goal for 2-2.

Both teams were pushing, and Rovers were getting some joy down the flanks. Pedersen's left wing cross found McCarthy, who really should have done better from 12 yards.

Then the home side broke again, and this time it was down the right. Brett Emerton narrowly evaded a challenge, and his cross gave sub Matt Derbyshire the simple task of heading home with his first touch.

The game had exploded into life, and Hunt was involved in a slanging match with Rovers' players and staff as both he and Tugay were substituted at the same time.

It had become exceptionally ragged, and Federici was nearly caught out by McCarthy after trying to be too clever in possession.

Sub Leroy Lita was given a very good chance from a right wing cross, but he didn't get his header right and nodded into the ground then over.

Again there was another twist to the tale. Lita won a free kick on the edge, and took it himself, shooting straight into the wall.

It fell to Brynjar Gunnarsson, who unleashed an unstoppable strike low into the net from 25 yards for a superb sixth goal in a crazy game.

Seconds later Aston Villa scored to make it 2-2 at Bolton, and Reading were a goal away from the UEFA Cup, either by scoring themselves or if Villa nicked another.

The tension was incredible, and it was Steve Coppell's men doing all the pushing.

Reading thought they'd scored a fourth, but Ivar Ingimarsson' header was ruled out as he jumped on the back of his man. It was a close call, but probably correct.

Blackburn also had the ball in the net, but play had long stopped after McCarthy's handball.

Four minutes of time were added, and it was difficult to watch knowing that a single goal was enough.

Shorey tried his luck from 25, but it was straight at Brad Friedel.

News come through that Bolton had finished 2-2, and John Oster's corner was only a foot above Seol as he raced in.

Rovers needed to hold on to the point to get into the Intertoto, and Derbyshire headed a half chance over.

In the end there was to be no grandstand finish, and Reading's incredible season did not involve a European finish.

The draw was probably a fair result, with both sides creating chances to add to their total.

It has been an incredible campaign, and in many ways this game summed up our season - goals, excitement, resilience, guts and quality.