Sunderland 2 Reading 1

Sunderland 2 (Jones 29, Wallace 47)
Reading 1 (Kitson 85)

On an emotional day when the legendary Ian Porterfield was honoured with a minute’s applause, Reading fell to yet another Premiership defeat, needing to be two goals down before any glimmer of a return was offered.

Kenwyne Jones and Grant Leadbitter were both denied by Marcus Hahnemann before Reading were denied their first of several penalty shouts of the afternoon, a handball was wanted but nothing was given.

Sunderland were ahead when Kenwyne Jones produced a great turn to beat Ivar Ingimarsson before cracking home a fine drive after half an hour.

Kenwyne Jones could have had another before the break but he missed a sitter from six yards.

The second wasn’t long in coming after the break. More good work from Kenwyne Jones, who showed paced and power to get to the touchline before pulling back to the arriving Ross Wallace who converted two minutes after the break.

Debutant Liam Rosenior would be the next to see his claims for a penalty turned away.

Graeme Murty saved reading from conceding three for the third Premiership match running when he cleared Michael Chopra’s effort off the line after a rare mistake from Marcus Hahnemann.

Dave Kitson almost had Reading back into the game but a defensive block denied him his first of the season.

Reading then a third penalty appeal turned away, with another handball wanted, but with the ball cleared to safety another Reading attack gained a free kick after a handball. Nicky Shorey delivered for Kitson to head home with five minutes to play but it was too little too late.

Sunderland: Gordon, McShane, Collins, Higginbotham, Nosworthy; Etuhu, Yorke, Leadbitter, Wallace (Stokes 63); Chopra (Miller 80), Jones (Murphy 82)
Subs: Ward, Halford

Reading: Hahnemann; Murty (c), Shorey, Bikey, Ingimarsson; Gunnarsson (Fae 72), Harper, Rosenior (Convey 78), Hunt; Kitson, Lita (Long 66)
Subs: Federici, De La Cruz