Reading conceded in the final minute to lose 2-1 at league leaders Burnley.

Taking the lead through Tom Ince, a turnaround from Manuel Benson and Halil Dervsoglu broke Royal hearts at the death.

Going the way many had expected, the hosts dominated possession throughout the half, even more so in the early knockings of the game. In the sixth minute, full-back Connor Roberts fired a header wide of the upright after keeper Joe Lumley got stuck in two minds about whether to go and claim the ball or stay on the goal line. Despite having little of the ball, the Royals weren’t without their chances, with Yakou Meite chancing his arm from the halfway line after winning the ball and discovering Arijanet Muric off his line. It went well wide of the goal.

Balls into the box from set pieces was the predominant source of chances from the Royals, with Mamadou Loum and Tom Holmes both getting their head on the end of crosses. For the Clarets, there were a number of golden opportunities to open the scoring. Anass Zaroury and Nathan Tella were constant thorns in the full-back’s sides, giving Amadou Mbengue trouble throughout. Josh Brownhill and Jay Rodriguez were the men most likely to find the net, both having glaring chances to hit the net after good play from the aforementioned Zaroury and Tella. Instead, both found the back of the stand.

The possession domination only increased after the break, and the pressure on Lumley’s goal was building, especially when Mbengue lost the ball and Tella broke clear on the wing, curling a ball low along the ground which required Yiadom to deal with and put out for a corner. However, massively against the run of play it was the visitors who took the lead. A simple as they come, Lumley’s kick was flicked on by Meite and Ince raced onto the ball before calmly clipping the ball over Muric into the net to send the away fans potty behind the goal. It was after this that Reading had their best spell, pressing as a team and attempting to pen Burnley in their half.

Unfortunately, it was not to last and substitute Benson volleyed home a shot on the edge of the box after a cross was only half cleared. From then on in, Kompany’s men laid siege to the Royals goal, penning them in and keeping the attacks coming.

It was only Lumley in net keeping the game at a draw in the final 10 minutes, excellently saving on his goal line to keep it level. Rallying late on, Ince had a strong penalty appeal turned down early on in the seven minutes of stoppage time, a decision which infuriated the goal scorer.

As it looked as though it was drifting toward a draw, Vitinho tricked his way into the box and drifted a cross to the back post for Dervsoglu to bundle home at the far post.

A heavy schedule, Reading head to Luton on Tuesday.