November 12, 2022. 

Does it ring any bells?

To most it is just an average Saturday in winter, the final round of fixtures before the country stopped for the controversial Qatar World Cup.

However, to Reading it is much more than that.

It is the date that Ryan Longman's deflected clearance trickled into the back of his own net to secure a last-gasp 2-1 win over Hull City.

Moving the Royals into the top half, just two points outside the play-offs, supporters bounced into the mid-season hiatus and looked forward to watching the Three Lions try and bring it home.

Little did we know that 305 days later, it would still be the final time Reading would travel home from an away match with the satisfaction of three points.

Birmingham, Norwich, West Bromwich, Stoke, Sunderland, Cardiff, Middlesbrough, Blackburn, Bristol, Preston, Coventry, Huddersfield, Burslem, Exeter and Cambridge.

It may read like an updated version of a 'Places not to Visit' guide- but they are all the destinations the Royals have visited without victory.

Dropping a division into League One has done little to stop the rot, losing all three away matches this season to goals in the final 10 minutes.

Not only are they winless, they are virtually pointless.

Two draws, in Norwich and Bristol, are all the players and supporters have to show for thousands of miles of travelling.

Reading Chronicle:

Two points out of a possible 45.

The worst run in the entire EFL, with only Rotherham United coming close.

They are 14 without a win on the road, however, they earned seven draws in that time.

A total of 25 points in their final 25 matches was enough to finish above Reading last season, who managed just 21.

Taking the Millers out of the equation, Doncaster Rovers and Watford are the only other sides to have gone into double figures.

Rovers, who prop up the whole EFL, are at 11 while the Hornets edge ahead in 12.

Now the race is on. Northampton Town, Leyton Orient, Charlton Athletic and Shrewsbury Town stand between the Royals and the unwanted 12-month search for a victory on the road

All occupying the four spaces immediately above Reading in the table; now is as good a time as any to break the away-day hoodoo.