Our visit to Reading was generally a fairly dour affair, but we extended our unbeaten run to six games and kept our first clean sheet for quite a while, even though Schmeichel was the busier of the two goalkeepers.

Simon Grayson opted to keep an unchanged starting line-up for the third match running, so Becchio continued as a lone striker in front of a five man midfield, in a formation that has served us well in recent weeks. At Norwich last week we produced an entertaining first half performance with this set-up, but this time we struggled to get going up front, with most of our attacking moves breaking down due to a poor delivery into the box.

At the other end we were keeping Reading at bay quite comfortably, with O’Brien and Bruce again looking solid at the back, with both making good clearing headers and getting their bodies in the way whenever Reading had a shooting opportunity. Neither side created any outstanding chances before the break, and the closest we came to a bit of passion was a spot of handbags between Gradel and Griffin, which ended with yellow cards for both after several other players had rushed over to get involved.

After the break the game livened up a little bit, and we finally started to see the two sides getting a bit of a sight on goal. Reading went close when our former set-piece expert Harte curled a free kick past the wall and Schmeichel saved it with his legs on the line, though I’m not sure he knew a great deal about it! Bruce and Connolly had to make further interceptions as the hosts continued to put us under pressure, while at the other end Federici had to be alert to keep out a fierce shot from Gradel.

Max had gone up front to give Becchio a little bit of assistance, but this pair didn’t make much headway against the Reading defence, and Grayson decided to take them both off with 15 minutes left, to give Mc.Cormack and Paynter a go. But Reading still looked the more likely to achieve a breakthrough, and they went close when Antonio cut in from the touchline past Johnson and Mc.Carntey, but struck the outside of the post with a fierce shot.

And yet despite all Reading’s pressure it was Leeds who nearly won the game right at the end, when Mc.Cormack’s excellent ball sent Howson clear, but Federici made an excellent save to turn the ball round the post. On the balance of play it would have been very hard on Reading if we had taken all three points, but we can be satisfied that for the second Saturday running we took a point away from home against a side in the top half of the table.

We’ve now dropped back to eighth place after Norwich beat Ipswich in the East Anglian derby today, but if we can keep our current away form going and get back to winning our home games we stand an excellent chance of finishing in the play-offs at the end of the season.

Photo: Action Images

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