By Isaac Farnworth at Madejski Stadium –
READING survived a late fightback from Sheffield Wednesday to bounce back from last week’s heavy defeat at Fulham with victory thanks to a Roy Beerens brace.
Wednesday put in a strong first-half performance but Reading kept it tight in defence to go in goalless at the break.
The Royals returned a better side in the second-half and Beerens’ fourth and fifth goals of the season were enough to see the hosts hold on to all three points despite a late goal from Steven Fletcher.
Reading enjoyed long spells of possession early on and produced the first chance of the game when Garath McCleary’s corner found Royals centre-back Liam Moore, returning from a one match ban, but he could only head over from 12 yards.
Sheffield Wednesday then created a number of chances in quick succession with Kieran Lee hitting a rasping shot from 20 yards forcing Reading’s Moore to block the ball out for a corner.
From the resulting set play, the ball broke to Barry Bannan who fired a shot just wide from outside of the box. Shortly after Wednesday forward Atdhe Nuhiu cut in from the right to fire a left-footed shot over the bar.
A flying Ali Al-Habsi save was required to prevent Wednesday finding the breakthrough on 15 minutes when Owls playmaker Ross Wallace shot across the Reading keeper from long range following a short Reading goal kick which was intercepted. Wallace also put in a dangerous ball across the six yard area but the stretching Nuhiu could not divert the ball towards goal.
Reading weathered the early pressure and McShane had an on-target header saved by Owls keeper Keiren Westwood. As the first half drew to a close, Dominic Samuel did well under pressure to fire a shot off but it was easy for keeper Westwood to take and the two sides went in with the score line goalless at half time and Reading having seen 66% of the possession.
In the second period, Bannan curled a free kick harmlessly over the bar from 25 yards before Lucas Joao beat the offside trap and Al-Habsi but pulled his shot wide. Nuhiu had a shot on the half volley blocked and Bannan again could not hit the target when his effort sliced over.
On 57 minutes McCleary won a free kick out wide on the right, level with the Owls penalty box. McCleary’s delivery was touched on by McShane and the ball broke to George Evans who fed the ball into Beerens.
And the Dutchman’s heavily deflected shot found the back of the net to give Reading the lead and Beerens his fourth goal of the season.
The Royals continued to apply the pressure in search of a second goal and they came close
through a deft Joey Van den Berg header from McCleary’s brilliant inswinging free-kick. Immediately after, Chris Gunter set up a fast counter attacking move which saw substitute Yann Kermorgant play in goalscorer Beerens, whose shot bobbled and went over the bar.
Wednesday substitute Fletcher won the ball in the air and it fell kindly to Joao but the Portuguese striker fired well over the bar on the half volley as The Owls looked for an equaliser.
Reading doubled their lead on 76 minutes when Kermorgant’s header played in Beerens who calmly slotted it home from 12 yards for his second of the game. Then came a heated moment when Wallace badly fouled McCleary from behind to cue a coming together of most of the 22 players.
Wednesday reduced the deficit late on when Fletcher rose above the Reading defence to bury a header from close range past Al-Habsi to set up a nervy finish at Madejski Stadium.
But Jaap Stam’s men saw out the remainder of six added minutes to win and move four points clear of fourth placed Huddersfield Town.
Royals are back in action on Tuesday night away to Leeds United.
READING: Al-Habsi; Gunter, McShane (c), Moore, Blackett, Obita; Evans, van den Berg (Kelly 83), Beerens; McCleary (Mendes 89), Samuel (Kermorgant 63).
Subs not used: S. Moore, Watson, Cooper, Meite.
Goals: Beerens x2 (57,76)
Yellow cards: Evans (44), van den Berg (48), McShane (80)
SHEFFIELD WEDNESDAY: Westwood; Hunt, Lees, Loovens (c), Reach; Wallace, Lee, Hutchinson (Hirst 77), Bannan; Joao, Nuhiu (Fletcher 60).
Subs not used: Wildsmith, Pudil, Semedo, Sasso, Palmer.
Goals: Fletcher (90+2)
Yellow cards: Nuhiu (29), Lee (72), Hutchinson (73), Wallace (79), Loovens (80)
Referee: Tony Harrington
Attendance: 18,153 (inc. 2,296 away)
