Royals hit Burnley for 4!

Four goals, two strikers on the score sheet and an away win – wow, just wow! Shane Long, Jobi McAnuff, Michail Antonio and Simon Church gave the Royals a fantastic win at Turf Moor.

Brian McDermott had to make changes from the 1-0 defeat to Bristol City on Tuesday night and there was a surprise start in midfield for Jay Tabb in place of Chris Armstrong. It was a welcome return for one of the Royals best players and he was joined in the midfield by Brian Howard, with the favoured 4-2-3-1 formation back meaning Noel Hunt was dropped. Jimmy Kebe failed a late fitness test so Hal Robson Kanu got start but we could only name 6 subs, as no other players had travelled to the North West.

The Royals started in positive fashion and Tabb had an early sight of goal before Shane Long won and converted a penalty to give us the lead. To be fair to the Irishman he is actually playing quite well right now but I have given him a lot of stick due to his goal scoring record, one penalty all season. You can make that two now after he left Leon Cort for dead with his pace and power and the defender clearly fouled him in the area, and the finish from the spot was precise.

This was meant to be a difficult game but we were all over the Clarets and Long was giving the defence all sorts of problems including Andre Bikey, and he fired into the side netting from a similar chance to the penalty. Brian Howard and Jobi McAnuff went close before the break whilst at the other end Adam Federici kept out Jay Rodriquez.

McAnuff was running the show and in the second half he set Robson Kanu away but the Welshman`s first touch was poor and he shot wide before he almost set up Jem Karacan. Chris Eagles tested Federici at the other end but again the Aussie stopper was equal to it.

The second goal arrived not long after the hour though and it was a well deserved strike from McAnuff. Long won a free kick and Harte`s delivery set up Matt Mills however the defender`s header was blocked but the ball fell to the winger to turn into the net.

Just minutes after the crucial second goal, the home side were down to ten men and it was Cort who was dismissed for another foul on Long. The Royals striker had given him a torrid afternoon and he was probably pleased it had come to an end!

In the final few minutes good work from Hal Robson Kanu put Long in and he did well to put the ball across the face of goal for sub Michail Antonio to tap into an empty net for his first league goal in Reading colours.

In stoppage time another sub, Simon Church, was played through and from a tight angle he drilled the ball into the top corner for his second of the season. It was great to see us back on form scoring goals and playing as we did last season. We played well and with so many players performing at the top of their game, there was only going to be one winner in this encounter.