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Mo Barrow rescued a point for Reading with a dramatic stoppage time equaliser after Stoke looked to have fought back for all three points at Madejski Stadium.
The Royals led going into the break thanks to a Marc McNulty header, the Scot’s first strike since joined the club in the summer having missed a last-gasp penalty at Leeds United on Tuesday.
But Stoke responded just two minutes into the second half through Benik Afobe’s cool finish and completed the turnaround when Tom Ince brilliantly volleyed in.
Reading piled on some late pressure while Anssi Jaakkola was also in good form at the other end and eventually Reading found a way through to deny the visitors all three points as Barrow turned in in the 94th minute.
The point keeps Reading hovering just outside the Championship relegation zone, but they slip a place to 21st in the table.
RATINGS: Swift struggles but youngster Rinomhota shines again
Paul Clement made three changes from the midweek defeat at Leeds with Liam Moore and Liam Kelly both missing out on the squad while Meite dropped to the bench. In came Tyler Blackett, Garath McCleary and McNulty as the Royals switched to a 4-3-2-1 formation.
John Swift tried his luck early on but it was Stoke who carved out the big opening when Afobe met Cuco Martina’s cross from the right but he headed wide from close range.
And it was a similar story a few minutes later as Afobe latched onto a cross from the right but this time Anssi Jaakkola was called into a fine save to preserve his clean sheet.
Swift was looking like Reading’s chief threat as they struggled to create many chances offensively, but they did get their noses in front just before the break.
The impressive Andy Rinomhota burst down the right and clipped in a cross which took a deflection and looped to McNulty at the back post to head past Jack Butland for his first goal since May.
REACTION: Every word from Paul Clement on the 2-2 draw with Stoke
But Stoke came flying out of the traps after the restart, equalising just two minutes into the half when Sam Clucas clipped a ball over the defence for Afobe to chase and calmly slot past Jaakkola.
The Potters had their tails up with Erik Pieters stinging the palms of Jaakkola before Tyler Blackett was called into a last-ditch block to deny a certain Afobe goal.
The hosts weathered the storm to keep the game level and Clement turned to his bench on 65 minutes, introducing Mo Barrow, who missed the last two games through illness, in place of Swift.
But it was the visitors who grabbed the lead soon after when McClean dug out a cross from the byline for Ince, who brilliantly volleyed it in via the underside of the crossbar.
Clement quickly altered his strike force to try and find a way back into the contest with the introduction of both Sam Baldock and Meite and the Ivorian created two opportunities with Barrow firing off target while Baldock could not connect with a low cross.
At the other end Jaakkola was called into another fine save, diving to his right to parry away Joe Allen’s effort.
The Royals looked to have missed their chance when Meite was denied by a sliding Butland, but there was still time for one final opportunity.
With the clock heading towards the final of five minutes additional time, good work from Yiadom and Meite saw the ball worked out for Barrow to guide a shot into the bottom corner to spark wild celebrations at the Mad Stad.
READING: Jaakkola; Yiadom, Ilori, Blackett, Gunter; Rinomhota, Bacuna (c), Swift (Barrow 65); Loader (Baldock 72), McCleary; McNulty (Meite 72).
Subs not used: Mannone, McIntyre, Meyler, Sims.
Goals: McNulty (42), Barrow (90+4)
Yellow cards: Bacuna (35), Yiadom (89)
STOKE: Butland; Martina, Shawcross (c), Martins Indi, Pieters (Edwards 67); Woods; Ince, Allen, Clucas (Williams 89), McClean (Fletcher 82); Afobe.
Subs not used: Federici, Diouf, Berahino, Crouch.
Goals: Afobe (48), Ince (69)
Yellow cards: McClean (60)
Referee: David Coote
Attendance: 14,414 (inc. 1,706 away)
