Reading suffered yet another stoppage time defeat, losing 2-1 at Preston North End.

A very one-sided game, the Royals managed to muster a late equaliser from youngster Kelvin Ehibhatiomhan after Tom Cannon fired the hosts into a second half lead.

Unable to hang on, Brad Potts headed the winner with barely 90 seconds to go to condemn Paul Ince’s men to another defeat on the road.

Without a win in seven, and without a win on the road in 2023, the in-form Lilywhites took the game to the shaky visitors. Dominating possession, Reading should have been behind as early as five minutes in. Andrew Hughes’ deep cross was somehow diverted wide by the Preston striker at the near post. Very rarely getting forward, it would not drop for the Royals even when they did.

Cesare Casadei and Andy Yiadom looked to link up, but the Italian slipped and allowed Daniel Johnson to pick up the ball and drive toward goal. Brad Potts found Tom Cannon, who could only stroke the ball wide of the post. Playing the ball out quick from the back just once in the first half, Joe Lumley found Nesta Guinness-Walker on halfway. The wing-back did well but had no support and was eventually crowded out. The hosts countered fast, and Cannon had another sight of the goal, only for Cannon to find the advertising board on the other side of the upright. Racking up the corners, it was nearly perfect for the hosts as Lumley believed he could claim the ball high, only to be crowded out and the ball to drop kindly in the box. The on-loan keeper did redeem himself though, blocking a shot off the line before smothering away. Lucas Joao and Andy Carroll both had a sight of goal each, neither requiring a save from Freddie Woodman.

More of the same was the order of the day in the second half, with the hosts constantly knocking on the door. Lumley looked shaky from the start, and Preston were racking up shots at an alarming rate. Midfield regular Daniel Johnson grew into the game and made the defenders look silly with his jinking around the edge of the box. It took just 10 minutes for the deadlock to be broken as Alvaro Fernandez’s cross found Cannon in too much space on the edge of the box, firing high and past the diving Lumley.

From nowhere, Reading appeared to level the scores from a deep free kick, only for Scott Dann to be flagged offside. Lumley was forced into a wonder save to deny Cannon his brace. Naby Sarr forced Woodman into a save, as did Jeff Hendrick, and from the resulting corner the Royals managed to haul themselves level through youngster Ehibhatiomhan. However, the hosts continued to push hard and regained their deserved lead deep into stoppage time when Potts rose highest from a corner to nod over the line.

A heart-breaking way to lose, Preston deserved their win, but it will be difficult for the players to recover from yet another stoppage time sucker-punch. Back home on Saturday, already-promoted Burnley the opposition.