Reading conceded late in the game to surrender a point in a seven goal thriller at Ewood Park in their final away trip of the season.
Blackburn Rovers took an early two goal lead in a storming start, but were pegged back by a brilliant John Swift free kick as three goals were struck in the opening 15 minutes.
Rovers scored a third and looked comfortable early in the second half until Sam Baldock and Yakou Meite scored two quickfire headers. But it was Blackburn who took the points after Sam Gallagher headed an 87th minute winner.
With both sides safe from relegation but too far to make a play-off push, it may have been expected to fall into the category of a classic end of season game.
However, Blackburn showed no signs of fatigue as they made a fast start and opened the scoring after just three minutes.
Ben Brereton eased his way into the box from the right wing without being challenged by a Reading defender and stroked the ball into the bottom corner.
Things went from bad to worse in the sixth minute for the Royals as they failed to cope with Rovers’ early pressure as the hosts made it two.
Adam Armstrong was given far too much time on the ball and he picked his spot as he fired into the bottom corner from just outside the box to double his sides advantage.
Having made a horrible start to the match, Mark Bowen’s team finally woke up and began to try and find their way back into the game as George Puscas won a corner, but the home side defended well to clear.
But it was Reading’s midfield talisman, and captain for the day, John Swift, who produced a moment of magic to put the Royals back into the contest.
With just 15 minutes on the clock, the third goal of the game was struck when Swift hit a stunning free kick from 25 yards which flew past Walton into the corner.
Despite getting back in the game, Reading failed to push on as Blackburn continued to look the more threatening side. Armstrong burst forward again and looked for his second as he tried to test Rafael with a powerful drive which flew over the bar.
Tom McIntyre was then forced off with a head injury after taking an Armstrong shot straight in the face and was replaced by club captain Liam Moore.
Blackburn could have opened up a two goal cushion again just before the break had it not been for a goal saving sliding challenge from Moore who got his body in the way of Brereton’s shot from close range.
Armstrong continued to look dangerous in the second half as he tried to increase his tally of 16 Championship goals this season and worked some space once again just outside the box but his tame effort was saved easily by Rafael.
Blackburn pushed home their superiority in the match and reinstated their two goal lead just 10 minutes into the half through Joe Rothwell. He was given space to cut inside following a short corner and his goal bound shot took a cruel deflection off Tyler Blackett to beat Rafael.
A frustrated Bowen made two more changes after seeing his side concede as Sam Baldock, Garath McCleary and Jordan Obita came on for Puscas, Blackett and Omar Richards.
And the goals continued to flow as the Royals salvaged a goal back through the work of two substitutes.
Obita swung in a cross which was met by the strong leap of Baldock who sprung ahead of his marker and headed the ball past the keeper with just under half an hour remaining.
Baldock continued to cause problems for Blackburn and teed up an equaliser as the Royals found themselves level in the match.
The forward broke into the box and hung the ball up in the air as Yakou Meite got on the end of the cross and powered it into the corner with his head to equalise.
The momentum had swung the way of the Royals with the substitutes providing a fresh impetus to Reading’s attack as the searched for a winner in their final away game of the season.
Reading pushed forward and looked the more likely to sneak a winner and came close through Michael Olise. He jinked his way past a defender and onto his left foot but curled his effort just wide of the mark via a deflection.
But despite looking the better side for much of the second half, Reading fell behind once again as Blackburn retook the lead in the 88th minute.
A deep cross was met by Gallagher at the back post who nodded the ball into the back of the net.
With seven minutes of stoppage time added on Reading were unable to find an eighth goal of the game despite Meite having a big chance from a few yards out following a free kick.
The Royals host Swansea City on Wednesday night in their final Championship game of the season.
Blackburn: Walton, Nyambe, Lenihan, Carter, Rankin-Costello, Travis, Johnson, Rothwell, Holtby, Armstrong, Brereton.
Subs: Leutwiler, Bennett, Magloire, Buckley, Gallagher, Davenport, Vale, Chapman, Downing.
Reading: Rafael, Gunter, Morrison, McIntyre, Blackett, Richards, Rinomhota, Swift, Olise, Meite, Puscas.
Subs: Walker, Miazga, Moore, Baldock, Obita, McCleary, Boye, Araruna, Osho.
Goals: Brereton 3′, Armstrong 6′, Swift 15′, Rothwell 55′, Baldock 63′, Meite 67′, Gallagher 87′
