LIVE - Reading v QPR

Published 16 Mar 2010 18:00 0 Comments

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FULL TIME. Reading 1 QPR 0.

GYLFI Sigurdsson's 86th minute penalty secured a dramtic victory for Reading over 10-man QPR in a feisty hoops derby.

The Icelandic youngster made no mistake with a clinical spot kick after his quick feet had foced a trip from Rangers full-back Matt Hill.

For long periods it looked like Royals would fail to make their numerical advantage count after Rangers saw Damion Stewart sent-off just before the break for two yellow cards.

But as the clock ticked down Royals piled on the pressure and eventually got their rewards.

It was Sigurdsson's third goal in two games and his 13th of the season.

And it clinched a sixth successive league victory at the Mad Stad for Brian McDermott's Royals who have now won eight of the last nine Championship fixtures.

To Royals fans' delight, the victory also sees Reading leapfrog QPR and Bristol City and go 14th in the table with the play-offs now within reach.

91 mins. There's something going on between Matt Mills and the Reading supporters. They've been on the defender's back for a few stray passes as he tries to release Kebe. Mills looks furious.

90 mins. Reading should have gone two up there.

McAnuff ran from one box to the other but he shot instead of squaring to othe unmarked Church and Ikeme saved.

89 mins. Kebe wastes the chance to wrap it up when he blazes over with plenty of men in support.

Rangers are piling men forward at every opportunity leaving themselves exposed at the back.

Four minutes of time added on to play.

86 mins. GOOAAAAAALLLLLLLLLLLL!!!!!!!! Reading 1 QPR 0.

At last Royals go in front through that man GYLFI SIGURDSSON.

He wins and scores his second penalty in two games which is his third in two games and 13th of an increasingly impressive season.

The Icelandic younsgter danced past two Rangers defenders forcing Matt Hill to stick out a leg.

Gavin Ward pointed to the spot and Sigurdsson drilled it emphatically past Ikeme.

Royals fans taunt the visitors with `You're not fit to wear the hoops,' and `Warnock what's the score.' They're loving this.

84 mins. Connolly hacks another ball clear from inside the six yard box. Surely a goal must come soon.

79 mins. Incredible stuff as Reading have another one cleared off the line.

Kebe pulled the back for McAnuff who hit a great shot back across the keeper - only for Connolly to somehow head it away from underneath the crossbar.

Peter Ramage has replaced Taarabt.

76 mins. Sigurdsson hammers a shot from an angle only for Matt Hill to head off the Rangers goalline.

That was so close, but it looks like being one of those night.

Leigertwood has also been booked.

73 mins. Frustrations turn to support as Royals fans voice their support.

Cries of `Blue Army' ring around the ground. Maybe they can sense something.

68 mins. Another Reading change as Simon Church replaces Shane Long.

Reading's passing has not been up to its usual high standard of late. Too many hopeful long balls for anyone's liking.

66 mins. Royals fans accuse Priskin of time wasting after the Rangers player went to ground.

It wouldn't be like a Neil Warnoclk side to dabble in a bit of skullduggery would it?

61 mins. Royals make their first change and Grzegorz Rasiak is on for Howard.

Reading 4-4-2 now.

60 mins. Federici has to parry a speculative shot from Hogan Ephraim but Taarabt fires the loose ball well over. Let off there.

58 mins. Royals should have scored there.

Sigurdsson pulled the ball back from a bye-line but Jimmy Kebe dummied, expecting someone to tap it in behind him.

But there was no-one there. Kebe should have had a dig himself there.

53 mins. It's still frustrating stuff as Royals struggle to break through Rangers' defence.

The attendance is 16,886 including 2,024 from QPR.

49 mins. Two Royals chances in a minute.

Kebe's shot was saved by Ikeme then Long cut back inside and went for an angled drive that looked like going in until it drifted wide at the last moment.

48 mins. A few groans can be heard from the Reading fans already. They need to remain patient - for now at least.

46 mins. No changes for either side as the second half gets underway.

Rangers have shuffled their team and Matthew Connolly is now playing centre-back with Mikele Leigertwood at right-bck.

Can Royals make their one-man advantage count??

HALF TIME. Reading 0 QPR 0.

44 mins. RED CARD for QPR!!!!!!

And Damion Stewart gets his marching orders for a second yellow card in the space of 14 minutes.

Adam Federici did well to hold on to a free-kick floated into the box.

But when Royals keeper tried to launch one quickly downfield he was deliberately impeded by Stewart.

It was a stupid thing to do and Stewart can have few complaints.

He had only just been booked for a nasty lunge on Shane Long.

Stewart becomes the third player to be sent off in games between the sides this season.

Now Warnock's side face the second half down to 10 men. Can Reading take advantage? We'll soon find out.........

42 mins. Howard fizzes one wide from far out.

The hosts have also had a counter-attack but Jimmy Kebe's pass went astray.

39 mins. The fourth official talks to both benches as frustrations grow, McDermott feeling a throw-in went the wrong way. It's as spicy as a vindaloo now.

36 mins. Brian Howard goes in hard on Rangers skipper Mikele Leigertwood there. It's a crunching challenge but Gavin Ward keeps his cards in his pocket.

There's an edge to this game now. A real derby feel.

34 mins. Now Alejandro Faurlin is booked for a nasty chllenge on Jay Tabb. Thankfully both he and Long are okay.

30 mins. Shane Long goes down after what looks like a blow to the ankle. Damion Stewart gets booked and Warnock is furious, storming around his technical area and ranting at the fourth official.

25 mins. Great save from Federici to deny Jay Simpson who was put clean through, with Royals defence hoping for an offside flag which never came.

Reading struggling to keep possession at the moment.

23 mins. Taarabt has another pop from distance. It's well over again but you can't allow the Spurs man to have that many tries.

21 mins. Taarabt volley, 30 yards, staight down Federici's throat.

It's an even game now.

18 mins. Royals live dangerously as one-time target Tamas Priskin blazes over from six yards while under pressure.

It all came from a corner which Kaspars Gorkss met with a towering back-post header.

But Federici made a cracking save and the ball ran to Priskin to miss.

15 mins. Decent spell for QPR ends in a Taarabt shot and comfortable save by Adam Federici.

12 mins. QPR look dodgy at the back there. McAnuff's cross was allowed to run across the box. But Sigurdsson was taken by surprise and the chance to shoot went.

Still, good start by McDermott's men.

7 mins. Strong run from own half by Jobi McAnuff, though his final pass is a poor one.

The former Rangers star gets jeered by the visiting fans - then cheered by loyal Royals.

6 mins. So close to Reading goal there.

Brian Howard bent a superb 25-yard free-kick around and over the wall, Ikeme was beaten but the ball whistled an inch wide of the post, hitting the net support behind the goal. Unlucky.

3 mins. First chance of the game falls to who else but Sigurdsson.

He tried his luck from a 25-yard free-kick but the angle was tight and Carl Ikeme held.

8pm. We're off, Royals kicking towards the south stand while Rangers wear their changed red and blue strip.

Sigurdsson already proving difficult to mark in a free role. Taraabt will do the same for Rangers.

The answer, as you probably knew, is Neil Warnock.

Yip, Reading's last Championship defeat at the Mad Stad was by Warnock's Crystal Palace on December 8.

That ended 4-2 in Warnock's favour and was Brendan Rodgers' penultimate game as Royals boss, the finally falling four days later after a 1-1 home draw with Scunthorpe.

But Brian McDermott goes into tonight's game with none of that baggage.

He remains unbeaten at home in the league, has won the last five and seven in eight overall.

We should be in for a cracking night.....

Right, a quick teaser for you: name the last visiting manager to win a league game at the Madejski Stadium?????

You've got a couple of minutes..........

The teamsheets are in and Royals make one change to the side that started in Saturday's 2-0 win against Bristol City.

Andy Griffin passes a fitness test and returns at right-back with Brynjar Gunnarsson dropping to the bench.

Othwerwise it's unchanged with Robins two-goal destroyer Gylfi Sigurdsson starting in the hole nehind striker Shane Long once again.

Palace are also unchanged for the fourth game in a row under Neil Warnock.

Reading: Federici - Griffin, Ingimarsson (c), Mills, Bertrand - McAnuff, Tabb, Howard, Kebe - Sigurdsson - Long. Subs: Church, Gunnarsson, Matejovsky, Robson-Kanu, Rasiak, Khizanishvili.

QPR: Ikeme - Connolly, Stewart, Gorkss, Hill - Priskin, Leigertwood (c), Faurlin, Ephraim - Taarabt - Simpson. Subs: Ramage, Vine, Borrowdale, German, Cook, Buzsaky, Cerny.

The referee is Gavin Ward from Surrey.

Follow the Chronicle for live coverage of tonight's `hoops derby' against Neil Warnock's Rangers.

Can Brian McDermott's Royals secure their sixth consecutive home victory in the league? Or will new Rangers boss Neil Warnock throw a spanner in the works?

Royals go into tonight's game level on 44 points points with Rangers but with a game in hand.

They were battered 4-1 at Loftus Road in October when Brendan Rodgers was in charge but McDermott remains unbeaten at the Madejski Stadium in the league since taking over in December.

Royals are also the form team in the Championship with seven wins in eight before tonight's clash.

Meanwhile, Warnock - Rangers' fifth manager this season - is also unbeaten in three games after leaving Crystal Palace for Loftus Road.

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