Derby 0
Reading 4 (Harper 14, Kitson 60, Doyle 68, Lita 90)

The Royals have been relegated to the Championship despite winning 4-0 away to Derby today.

We have been edged out by Fulham, who finished with a goal difference that was superior by three. They won 1-0 at Portsmouth this afternoon and we have finished 18th.

A 7-0 win would have kept us in the Barclays Premier League, and we had chances to score more, as well as four very good penalty shouts.

But it the end it was a desperate day, and our 3,000 fans were absolutely sensational to the very end. Out on the pitch though it did not go to plan.

By the time James Harper opened the scoring we could have been two up, and it was completely one-way traffic against a Derby side clearly broken by a terribly difficult season for Paul Jewell's side.

In the second half Dave Kitson, Kevin Doyle and then Leroy Lita gave the scoreline a true reflection, but we could not get out of the bottom three and will play next season in the Coca-Cola Championship.

Derby (3-5-2): Carroll; Mears, Moore, Nyatanga; Savage (c) (Feilhaber HT), Jones, Sterjovski (Edworthy HT), Ghaly, Lewis; Miller, Villa (Simmons 62)
Subs: Price, Addison

Reading (4-4-2): Hahnemann; Murty (c), Shorey, Duberry, Ingimarsson; Harper (Bikey 85), Matejovsky (Cisse 82), Oster, Hunt; Kitson (Doyle 65), Lita
Subs: Federici, Kebe

Attendance: 33,087

First half
From the very start it was all Reading, and Leroy Lita almost scored with just four minutes gone, but Roy Carroll was out.

Marek Matejovsky was everywhere, and he was played in by Graeme Murty but drove narrowly across goal.

We were tearing Derby to shreds, and with 13 on the clock Lita had a massive chance. He dwelled on the ball a little too long, and was more than likely fouled by Darren Moore, but still got a shot off, although it was comfortably saved.

Thankfully we recovered quickly though and scored a superb goal. Dave Kitson took a long pass and found James Harper with a tidy ball on the edge of the box. Harper looked up and curled a superb effort left footed into the far corner.

We were absolutely rampant at this stage, and Lita had another chance but again took a little too long, although it should have been a corner after Darren Moore got a touch.

Matejovsky was pulling plenty of strings, and danced past Robbie Savage with ease. He was in on goal, but Savage committed a very, very cheap pull on the shirt just inside the area. The referee waved played on, and if Matejovsky had gone down it would surelt have been a penalty.

We had a third penalty shout on 33 minutes, and Lita was surely caught by Carroll but again nothing was given.

It was all to easy for Reading, but they couldn't find the second goal they so craved. And Derby finally had a shot on target with 39 minutes gone, but Marcus Hahnemann saved well from David Jones' long drive.

Second half
The hosts made two changes at half time, going to more of a 4-4-2 after lining up 3-5-2 first half. They had a brief go, with sub Benny Feilhaber nodding over.

Then on the hour we got a second goal and put the game out of sight. A free kick was played short to Nicky Shorey, and he fired in a cracking effort that was parried by Carroll. Lita punced well, and turned across for Kitson to finish simply.

Nine minutes later, the game was all over. Sub Kevin Doyle made a nuisance of himself in the area, and after a save by Carroll he slid home on the floor.

A good advantage by the ref gave Harper another chance but it was saved.

Then, it was despair as news came through that Fulham had scored.

We needed another four to avoid the drop, but could only find one when Lita got his first league goal of the season.

And we should have again had a penalty when John Oster was blatantly tripped in the area, and referee Mike Riley was surely just feeling sorry for Derby.

Then we were left waiting and waiting for news from Portsmouth, but it never came. Our fans gave everything to the very, very end, but now the Championship awaits.