FIRST-HALF strikes from Clayton Donaldson and Ryan Shotton saw Reading’s unbeaten league run at home in 2016 ended by Birmingham City this afternoon.
Royals were made to pay for a lethargic and rather lacklustre first half and in doing so were beaten at Madejski Stadium in the Championship for the first time since Brentford scored a 2-1 victory here on December 28 – some nine games ago.
It also denied the side a third win on the spin, although the majority of the 17,000-plus crowd will have few complaints, given what was witnessed.
Birmingham still have an outside chance of gatecrashing the play-offs this season and did such hopes no harm with a clinical and dogged performance.
Yet they arrived in Berkshire having scored just once in their last six outings on the road, but would improve that within 27 minutes of this fixture.
Reading did have their chances to get something out of the game, but this was a contest many will want to forget in a hurry.
They do, however, remain 13th in the table with six games left to play.
McDermott named the same starting XI which fought back to defeat Nottingham Forest 2-1 on Tuesday night, although he did reshuffle his bench.
Welcomed back to the fold from recent injuries was both Deniss Rakels and Garath McCleary, with the pair replacing Anton Ferdinand and George Evans respectively.
Yet hopes of the side recording a third win on the spin suffered a setback after just 73 seconds when Clatyon Donaldson nodded the visitors in front.
As the saying often goes, Royals were still in the dressing room, as it was far too easy for City, although the cross from David Cotterill which laid on the striker was a brilliant one.
Whipped in from out on the right touchline, the hosts had failed to track the run of Donaldson, who eased himself into the box and between two defenders before powerfully diverting the ball beyond Ali Al-Habsi from five yards.
McDermott’s men were just not helping themselves, and a loose pass from Danny Williams sent Stephen Gleeson on his way.
The Birmingham midfielder charged into the space in front of him, but would see his strike at goal charged down by Jake Cooper.
Despite lacking zest during the opening stages, a chance to equalise would fall Reading’s way, although it was a half one at best.
Oliver Norwood swung over a corner which Jonathan Grounds was unable to clear, with the ball dropping favourably for Lucas Piazon around the penalty spot.
But in taking a swing, the on-loan midfielder could only send the opportunity way over the bar.
Simon Cox, from a clever Kermorgant ball over the top, would also pull the trigger, but he too failed to trouble Adam Legzdins in the City goal, with the forward turning a shot from just inside of the box wide of the far upright.
If things were not already frustrating enough, Royals work was to become that bit harder when Birmingham doubled their advantage on 27 minutes.
In competing with David Davis for a loose ball on the edge of the Reading box, Stephen Quinn could only concede a cheap free-kick.
Al Habsi could only parry the resulting set-piece, taken by Cotterill, and defender Shotton was on hand to tuck the rebound into the bottom corner over on the left hand side.
Up until now, the home side were struggling to get their foot on the ball against opposition hunting in packs, and would often find themselves pushed back, much to the frustration of those up in the stands.
Forays forward would, therefore, come down the flanks, and it was from such situations where the hosts saw two penalty appeals waved away by referee Nigel Miller in quick succession.
Cox and then McShane would go down amid aerial challenges, but the official was having none of the claims.
Amid the calls Quinn would also go close with a header. The connection from Gunter’s inviting centre was true, but the Irishman was wide from 10 yards.
Arguably the closest the home side came to notching before the break was when Legzdins failed to hold a close-range McShane header.
The ‘keeper, under little pressure, did manage to recover and stop the ball dead on the line, although he was saved from any further embarrassment by an offside flag.
This was one of the more disappointing first-half performances produced by Reading in recent times, which was all the more epitomised when Kermorgant picked up a yellow card for grappling with Davis at a stoppage.
And those backing the hosts were not shy in voicing their displeasure come the half time whistle, with the side heading off down the tunnel to a strong chorus of boos.
Yet they would finish the session encamped in enemy territory, but the end product was just not there.
McDermott, too, was clearly not best pleased with what he saw and would pull the rather ineffective Piazon for Matej Vydra during the break.
The break was probably what Reading needed to regroup, as they would begin the second half looking galvanised and playing with a greater sense of purpose.
Yet chances of the clear cut variety remained at a premium, although keeping City penned back in their own half did offer encouragement.
And on one of the few occasions the away side did foray forward, back came Royals.
From a Cooper clearance Cox, on the half way line, showed quick feet to slip in Williams, who would carry the ball some distance before letting fly from 25 yards.
Legzdins, however, was equal to the effort, keeping out what was was a first shot on target for Royals before smothering at the second attempt.
A second change for the hosts would see Chris Gunter make way for McCleary as McDermott looked to try and profit from this spell of pressure – and it was the replacment’s work which would create another opening.
McCleary would win a free-kick out on the right touchline which Norwood hung up into the box. Meeting it was Cooper, but the towering defender was unable to keep his header down.
Norwood, whose super strike won the game for Reading in midweek, would again go for the spectacular in order to try and give his side a spark, but a very ambitious volley from some 30 yards was never testing Legzdins and flew high over the bar.
Up until now, Birmingham had offered next to nothing going forward and looked content to sit on a two-goal lead.
Throwing on Viv Solomon-Otabor from the bench, however, saw the side offer a little more punch in the attacking third, and he would twice look to pick out Donaldson to try and make it 3-0.
His first cross, though, had just too much zip for his team-mate, while Donaldson would produce a heavy touch when played in seconds later.
Just like they had done in the first half, Royals again finished the stronger, and were unlucky not to halve the deficit late on when Kermorgant stooped amid a clutch of bodies to meet a McCleary centre.
The Frenchman did everything right and got his header on target, but Legzdins would save well diving to his right.
Norwood would then pull a free-kick from 20 yards wide of a post in a chance which kind of summed up the home side’s afternoon – frustrating.
Royals will need to quickly put this disappointment behind them, as up next on Tuesday is a trip to promotion-chasing Middlesborough (7.45pm).
READING: Al Habsi, Gunter (McCleary 63), Obita, McShane (c), Cooper, Norwood, Quinn, Williams, Cox (John 72), Kermorgant, Piazon (Vydra 45).
Subs not used: Bond, Taylor, Hector, Rakels
Booked: Kermorgant, Cooper, McShane.
BIRMINGHAM CITY: Legzdins, Grounds, Kieftenbeld, Gleeson, Donaldson, Cotterill (Maghoma 72), Lafferty (Solomon-Otabor), Davis, Morrison (c), Caddis, Shotton
Subs not used: Fabbrini, Vaughan, Toral, Spector, Kuszczak
Goals: Donaldson, Shotton.
Booked: Donaldson, Morrison
Referee: Nigel Miller:
Atendance: 17,868
