Published: Wednesday, 10th March, 2010 5:00pm

LIVE - Reading v Derby County

by Sportsdesk

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FULL TIME. Reading 4 Derby County 1.

And it's a sixth Championship win in seven games for the Royals and a comprehensive one at that.

On-fire SHANE LONG fired Reading in front after eight minutes with a terrific finish for his seventh goal in six appearances.

GILLES SUNU equalised on 21 minutes for the Rams but Jimmy Kebe cracked his sixth in seven games on 35 minutes to put the hosts in front again.

Then Derby's night all but ended five minutes later when substitute keeper Saul Deeney gave away a penalty by tripping Jay Tabb and was red carded on his debut.

With Stephen Bywater injured, Robbie Savage took over goalkeeping duties and saw Long's spot-kick sail horribly over the bar.

Nevertheless, Royals sealed victory through Ryan Bertrand's first goal for the club in the 69th minute.

And substitute Simon Church made it four in the 82nd minute shortly after coming on.

It victory moves Royals up to 17th in the table, just one point behind Derby

with at least one game in hand on almost every team above them.

And McDermott will be eager to preserve his unbeaten home record in the league when Bristol City visit on Saturday (3pm).

86 mins. We've had a couple more subs. Zurab Zhizanishvili has replaced Griffin for Reading.

Steve Davies has come on for Rob Hulse - but Derby still look snookered.

82 mins. GAOL!!!!!!!! Reading 4 Derby 2.

SIMON CHURCH surely seals victory for the Royals.

Gunnarsson flicked on Federici's punt to Kebe who unselfishly squared it to Church.

The Wales striker's first touch was poor but Savage collided with a defender and spilled the ball, giving Church a simple tap-in.

That's four in six games for Church now. These Royals are on fire.

`We want five,' is the east Stand chant. Wouldn't rule it out.

78 mins. Derby's goalscorer Sunu has been replaced by David Martin.

If things conintinue like this then Brian McDermott remains unbeaten at the Mad Stad in the league.

75 mins. McDermott turns to his subs and replaces Howard with Brynjar Gunnarsson and also takes off Rasiak for Simon Church.

Adam Federici just made an excellent save to deny Pearson whose shot was curling into the far corner.

69 mins. GOAL!!!!!!!!!!!! Reading 3 Derby 1.

And RYAN BERTRAND nets his first goal for Reading on his 38th appearance for the club.

The youngster is absolutely delighted - and who can blame him.

He got a bit of luck inthe box when the ball bounjced to him off Shaun Barker's chest but the finish was pure class - hammering the ball down the middle giving poor Savage no chance.

Surely that's three points in the bag now, and a sixth win in seven league games for the Royals.

67 mins. Savage again does all that's required with a neat catch from Kebe's angled volley.

Reading look like they've recovered from their little wobble and are dominating the game now.

61 mins. Savage has just pulled off an unbelievable fingertip save at full-stretch to keep out Sigurdsson's 25-yard free-kick that looked destined for the top corner.

The Welshman also does well to parry the resulting free-kick from underneath his crossbar.

This is great entertainment.

58 mins. Savage is called into action for the first time - and passes the test.

Betrand linked up with Long who ran through the defence only for Savage to sprint off his line and clear.

Rasiak has also taken the ball off Sigurdsson's head when the Icelandic star looked odds on to score.

57 mins. The attendance is 14,096 including 680 from Derby.

54 mins. Derby still taking the game to Reading and are forcing a few mistakes.

Rob Hulse is playing up front on his own now.

But Royals keep giving the ball away.

50 mins. Derby nearly equalise as a cross from the left looks destined to end up in the net.

But Rob Hulse compleytely misses the ball and Royals survive.

That should be a warning not to relax - even against 10 men.

46 mins. The second-half is underway and no changes for either side.

That means Robbie Savage is still in goal for the visitors - and it getting plenty of stick from the Reading fans.

Thinking back, that was a terrible penalty from Long considering Savage had taken over between the sticks.

All he had to do was place it in the corner but he went for power and blasted it horribly over.

Still you can't really criticise a stiker who has seven in six games.

HALF TIME. Reading 2 Derby 1.

Well we've been following on from Sunday's pulsating FA Cup clash. This is another cracker and Reading look to be home and dry.

SHANE LONG made it seven goals in six games with a clinical 8th minute opener.

But Derby levelled on 21 minutes through GILLES SUNU.

However, Reading's pressure told when JIMMY KEBE fired them in front again on 35 minutes for his sixth in seven games.

Royals should have added a third when LONG blazed a penalty over the bar after Derby's substitute keeper Saul Deeney had tripped Jay Tabb.

However, Deeney was red carded leaving Robbie Savage between the sticks as Stephen Bywater limped off injured and Derby down to 10 men.

42 mins. PENALTY to READING and RED CARD for DERBY.

Robbie Savage's backpass was cut out by Jay Tabb who was clumsily brought down by Deeney as he rounded the Derby keeper.

Referee Kevin Wright has little option but to point to the spot and show Deeney a straight red in the process on his debut.

So, Savage takes over between the sticks - only for LONG to blaze the penalty over the bar.

What a waste but let's hope it doesn't prove costly. If Reading lose this against 10 man Derby with a midfielder in goal they'll be gutted.

39 mins. Kebe should have scored a second there. He was unmarked but could only volley over.

34 mins. GOAL!!!!!!!!!!!! Reading 2 Derby 1.

And if Long scores that can only mean one thing. Yes, JIMMT KEBE continiues his hot-streak with another well-taken goal.

It was a clever ball from Jay Tabb - who has been outstanding in the middle - that confused Derby's defence and sent Kebe away.

Not long ago you wouldn't have bet on Kebe hitting the target let along scoring.

But he composed himself and slammed the ball under Denney's body as the keeper came out.

That's six goals in seven now, an incredible return from a player who in previous seasons couldn't hit a proverbial barn door.

As Reading fans sing: `You're only here for the Kebe.'

34 mins. Reading close again as Sigurdsson and Bertrand play a lovely one-two, only for Deeney to save the left-back's shot.

30 mins. How did Reading miss that?

Kebe got a bit of luck in the box then slid the ball across the six yard box.

Yet somehow it rolled through Long and Rasiak's legs in front of an open goal.

22 mins. Reading almost hit back immediately with a second goal.

Kebe pulled the ball back to Long who's shot was blocked on the line.

The ball finally bounces off a few Derby knees before going out for corner which is cleared.

21 mins. GOAL!!!!!! Reading 1 Derby 1.

Well, no-one saw that coming as Derby equalise out of nothing.

Andy Griffin put in a great tackle on Stephen Pearson but the ball ran to Gilles Sinu who smacked it first time into the bottom corner from the edge of the box.

18 mins. Reading threaten again. Howard's shot was blocked but the rebound fell to Kebe who had little time to react and could only lift the ball over the bar.

15 mins. Apparently this is Deeney's debut. Reading will be eager to test him out.

13 mins. It gets worse for Derby as goalkeeper Stephen Bywater limps off the pitch and is replaced by Saul Deeney.

It's been a quite brilliant start from Reading.

8 mins. GOAL!!!!!!!!!!! Reading 1 Derby 0.

No prizes for guesing who.....yes SHANE LONG makes it seven goals in six games with a briliant - and deserved - opener.

It was a fantastic move that started with Brian Howard mopping up in defence and dinking a pass to Rasiak.

The striker laid the ball off to Long, who played a superb one-two with Kebe.

A brilliant first touch from the Irishman took his clear of Jake Buxton before he drilled a low angled shot past Stephen Bywater and into the far corner.

A great finish from a player in the form of his life.

3 mins. Another great run from man-of-the-moment Jimmy Kebe. His cross fizzes across the Derby six yard box but no-one was there to tap it in.

1 min. Royals nearly score from the off with Gylfi Sigurdsson sending a bullet header just over the bar from Jimmy Kebe's excellent cross.

7.55pm. Not long to go and it looks like a fairly sparse crowd. Still, all to play for. Both sides desperate for three points.

7.30pm. Good evening on a freezing cold night at the Mad Stad.

And Brian McDermott makes one change from the side beaten by Aston Villa in Sunday's FA Cup quarter final.

Grzegorz Rasiak gets the nod instead of Simon Church and will start up front alongside Shane Long who has six goals in his last five appearances.

Meanwhile, Derby striker Ron Hulse has passed a fitness test, as has Michael Tonge.

Reading: Federici - Griffin, Ingimarsson, Mills, Bertrand - Kebe, Tabb, Howard, Sigurdsson - Rasiak, Long. Subs: Gunnarsson, Matejovsky, Henry, Church, Robson-Kanu, Khizanishvili, Hamer.

Derby: Bywater - Hunt, Barker, Buxton, McEverley - Sunu, Savage, Green, Pearson - - Tonge - Hulse. Subs: Leacock, Deeney, Pringle, Davies, Moxey, Martin, Anderson.

The referee is Kevin Wright from Cambridgeshire.

We will bring you live action from tonight's big Championship clash at the Madejski Stadium as Reading look to bounce back from Sunday's FA Cup exit to Aston Villa.

Brian McDermott's Royals have won five of their last six league games but remain just one point above the relegation zone.

However, his players have a great chance to pull away from trouble with Derby the first of three successive home games with Bristol City and QPR to come.