Tom Ince’s second half free kick was enough to return Reading to winning ways, beating Wigan Athletic 1-0 at the DW Stadium.
After losing 3-0 to Sunderland in midweek, the manager and supporters demanded a reaction- and they got one in Lancashire.
Kicking off slightly late, following a delay in the tunnel and respects for Her Majesty the Queen being marked, the game continued in slow fashion. Following the pattern of previous matches, it was the opponents dominating the ball for most of the match, with comfortable control in their own half. There was an early scare for the visitors as Callum Lang went down under the challenge of Andy Yiadom, only for the referee to wave claims away with the captain winning the ball.
A game not full of chances in front of goal, it took 25 minutes for the Royals to get their first effort. Yiadom and Junior Hoilett linked well on the right-hand side and the skipper cut a ball back to an unmarked Jeff Hendrick inside the six-yard box, only for the Newcastle United loanee to blaze his shot high over the bar at the first attempt. From one end of the pitch to the other, Josh Magennis rose high to direct a header inches wide of Joe Lumley’s upright in front of the 300+ travelling fans.
Both sides had decent spells as the half wore on but neither threatened the other in the way of scoring, Thelo Aasgaard spinning Yiadom and nearly hitting the back of the net in stoppage time, firing an effort at Lumley’s near post.
The lack of tempo in the first half was rectified in the second, a fast-paced encounter from start to end. Despite lots of play in the Wigan half, it took until the hour mark for the first shot, and what a shot it was. Fouled on the edge of the box, Ince curled it up and over the wall, leaving Ben Amos no chance in the net in front of the delirious Royals fans behind the goal.
Just five minutes later it should’ve been 1-1 as Will Keane’s flicked header kisses the post before McIntyre’s boot sends it into touch. In the space of 10 minutes, it could’ve been three for Reading as they missed two sitters. A perfect McIntyre cross found Ince in acres of space in front of goal, only for the scorer to flick his header over the bar after bouncing off the floor. Then, neat interplay left substitute Yakou Meite clear on goal with Amos, only for the keeper to stand tall and save his effort.
Leam Richardson’s side pushed increasingly hard for the equaliser, with both James McClean and Max Power going close in the ensuing 10 minutes, plus another eight for stoppage time.
Holding on in the end, the Royals go into the international break sat third in the Championship with six wins from the first 10 matches.
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