Middlesbrough 0
Reading 1
An injury time goal from James Harper gave Reading an absolutely huge three points away to Middlesbrough today.
Even a point would have been a massive boost, but to take all three in such a late manner was an indescribable relief in our bid to stave off relegation.
It had been a tight, scrappy and edgy affair, with few clear chances at either end.
We started well, but then 'Boro came back into it, and there was very little to separate the sides.
It was 'Boro who were pushing for a late goal, but Harper proved to be the calmest man in the ground when he sidefooted home after Stephen Hunt's pull back.
The travelling support celebrated wildly, and the relief was tangible. The significance of this result will only be fully known until the end of the season, but after eight straight defeats it could be the stepping stone we had so desperately needed.
Middlesbrough: Schwarzer; Young, Grounds, Pogatetz, Wheater; Arca (c) (Cattermole 60), Boateng (Johnson 75), O'Neil, Downing; Alves (Mido 69), Tuncay
Subs: Jones, Hines
Booked: Boateng (foul 30), Wheater (foul 32), Grounds (foul 73), Downing (simulation 77)
Reading: Hahnemann; Rosenior, Shorey, Bikey, Ingimarsson (c); Harper, Matejovsky (Kebe 85), Oster (Kitson 69), Hunt; Doyle (Cisse 85), Long
Subs: Federici, Sonko
Booked: Bikey (foul 17), Rosenior (foul 41), Hunt (foul 65), Shorey (foul 80), Long (time wasting 90)
Referee: H Webb
Attendance: 23,299
The Royals started brightly, getting good possession in threatening areas.
With seven minutes on the clock, we fashioned a good chance, Liam Rosenior whipping in a cracking cross that Shane Long headed narrowly over.
Almost straight away 'Boro had a headed chance of their own, but Emmanuel Pogatetz surprisingly tried to nod it back across goal when he could have gone for the near post.
Next to try his luck was Stephen Hunt, but he miscued a right footed volley from John Oster's cross. Then Stewart Downing shot at the other end, but Marcus Hahnemann saved easily. Not long after Downing had another drive from Afonso Alves' pass, but again he was denied.
It was a well-contested affair, with both sides fully playing their part. Both teams were denied by very questionable offsides as they looked to break the deadlock.
Around the half hour mark 'Boro twice came close, first when Rosenior headed over his own bar to defend a dangerous cross.
Then Downing was given a clear run by a badly misplaced John Oster pass, but Hahnemann did well to rush out and help snuff out the impending danger.
Kevin Doyle had the ball in the net a moment later, but it was rightly ruled out for a foul on the keeper by Andre Bikey.
Reading had some impetus, and a couple of crosses flashed across the box but just evaded our attackers.
The last key moment of the half saw Hahnemann made a decent save from Alves' free kick, diving well to his right.
It had been a close 45 minutes, with plenty of action. We had played our part, and although it wasn't exactly free flowing, there had been chances at both ends.
Second half
Chances became at a premium in the second half, and a series of stoppages punctuated the play somewhat.
Long had a decent break on 56 but tried to find Doyle when he perhaps should have shot. 'Boro broke immediately down the other end, but Alves stabbed wide.
Midway through the half both managers made attacking substitutions, Dave Kitson coming on for Oster and Mido on for Alves.
For long periods there was little to report in either box, and it was a scrapy affair.
There was a spark of controversy in the 77th minute, Downing going to ground under Marek Matejovsky's challenge. Referee Howard Webb bravely awarded a free kick in our favour, booking Downing for a dive. It was a tight decision, and although there was little contact, Matejovsky had not got anything on the ball either.
'Boro were getting a little closer, and Gary O'Neil fizzed one over from 20 yards.
It was the home side who were pushing for a goal, and David Wheater headed over on 86.
We had a rare moment of possession inside the 'Boro box two minutes later, but sub Jimmy Kebe never had it under control.
Then, against all the odds, we popped up with a winner.
We broke well down the left hand side, and Nicky Shorey slipped in a nice pass for Hunt.
He pulled it back, and Harper timed his run to perfection, side footing home calmly to send our fans into raptures.
With a minute of injury time left, we had a bit of defending to do, and it was hearts in the mouths stuff.
Thankfully we held out, and took three points that could prove to be absolutely huge.
