Reading 2 Newcastle 1

Reading 2 (Kitson 53, Long 84)
Newcastle 1 (Duberry og 74)

Leroy Lita, starting alongside Dave Kitson, with Kevin Doyle on the right was provided with a guilt edged opportunity to give Reading the lead, but with the goal at his mercy, and Stephen Hunt also arriving a complete air shoot saw the chance missed.

A double escape in one move prevent Newcastle then taking the lead, Michael Owen got away a shoot even though he looked to be fouled by Marcus Hahnemann, but no penalty was given, and no goal arrived as Graeme Murty cleared off the line.

The deadlock was broken shortly after halftime, Kitson collecting the ball on the edge of the area and sending a curling unstoppable effort into the corner that gave Shay Given no chance, a second could have come from Hunt but he headed wide.

A home win looked like it was coming until with time running out Newcastle were on level terms. A dangerously delivered free kick to the back post needed to be dealt with, but unfortunately for Michael Duberry he could only knock the ball into his own net.

From a goal down Newcastle were looking to go a foal up, and would have but for Hahnemann’s save from Charles N’Zogbia.

An inspired substitution brought the Reading winner. Shane Long was sent on, his first touch was to chest down the header Ibrahima Sonko had won, his second, after it initially looked like the ball might have got away from him, was to rifle home.

Newcastle did have the ball in the net again before the end, but Claudio Cacapa was a long way offside so this was ruled out.

Reading: Hahnemann; Murty (c) (Rosenior 85), Shorey, Duberry, Sonko; Gunnarsson, Harper, Doyle, Hunt; Kitson, Lita (Long 83)
Subs: Federici, Ingimarsson, Convey

Newcastle: Given; Beye, Enrique, Cacapa, Faye (Milner 74); Barton, Butt (N’Zogbia 57), Geremi (c), Emre; Owen, Martins (Smith 57)
Subs: Harper, Rozehnal