Lita Earns The Points

If any Royals fans had any worries about Reading hitting a slump after the defeat away to Luton last week then their prayers were answered yesterday as the Royals ended Preston’s unbeaten run and took the points which must now surely mean Premiership football next season.

Reading knew they had been in a game at the end of it though as Preston showed their 22 match unbeaten run was no fluke, they are a strong side and if they make the play offs, their opposition will know they have a game on their hands.

But the Royals won this one and just about deserved the win, and the day couldn’t have ended any better with the news soon coming through after the final whistle that Sheffield United had blown it at home to Queens Park Rangers.

All looked well or Reading as Steve Sidwell eased nerves in the crowd with a goal on six minutes, Ingirmarsson fired in a shot that the keeper managed to save but fumbled the ball and Sidwell was there to push the loose ball home for 1-0.

But it only took Preston two minutes to get back on level terms as Hahnemann returned the favour of his counterpart at the other end when he allowed a ball to go out of play for what he thought would be a goal kick, the ref awarded a corner. That corner resulted in a free kick being awarded to the visitors for pushing on the edge of the area and Callum Davidson bent the ball around the wall and into the back of the net for 1-1.

The game turned a little scrappy after that and as the game entered the final stages of the first half Kitson and goalkeeper Nash collided which resulted in the top scorer being replaced by Leroy Lita.

And it didn’t take the substitute long to make his mark, on the stroke of half time he came up with the goal that proved to be the winner when he latched onto a through ball from Doyle and fired a low drive past Nash into the corner of the net.

The second half saw Preston put the Royals under pressure in search of the equaliser but they never looked like scoring. In fact, Reading should have increased their lead when Davis Pulled Doyle back in the penalty area, but the referee had one of those blind moments and gave nothing.

Reading: Hahnemann, Murty, Sonko, Ingimarsson, Shorey, Oster (Hunt ,85), Harper, Sidwell (Gunnarsson ,62), Convey, Kitson (Lita ,40), Doyle

Subs not used: Stack, Makin.
Preston: Nash, Mears, Mawene, Davis, Hill, Sedgwick (Whaley ,61), O’Neil, McKenna, Davidson, Nugent (Agyemang ,74 ), Ormerod (Dichio ,81)

Subs not used: Alexander, Lewis Neal.

Bookings: Davis, Hill, O’Neil (Preston)

Referee: K Stroud (Hampshire)