READING FC responded from Saturday’s defeat in style by ending Blackburn Rovers’ unbeaten start to the Championship season.
Goals from Tom McIntyre, Junior Hoilett and Lucas Joao ensured Reading made it two wins from two in the league at the Select Car Leasing Stadium.
The Royals went in front after 14 minutes thanks to a bullet header from McIntyre.
Having created several big openings, Reading seized their opportunity to grab a second when Hoilett unleashed a rocket before Joao added a third.
Paul Ince’s men now have two wins and two defeats from their opening four Championship games, putting them ninth in the early stages of the season.
The Reading boss named an unchanged starting eleven from the 4-0 loss at Rotherham as Joe Lumley kept his place in goal.
New signing Mamadou Loum, who made his Royals debut last week in the Carabao Cup and his Championship debut at Rotherham was again named among the starters.
There was a much welcomed return for Lucas Joao on the bench after he had missed out on the opening three league games after getting injured in Reading’s final game of pre-season against Brighton & Hove Albion.
The visitors came into the game on the back of a perfect start to the new Championship campaign which has seen them win all three of their matches under new boss Jon Dahl Tomasson.
The Royals came out the traps early with high energy looking to make amends for their awful first-half display on Saturday.
Tom Ince fed the ball to Andy Yiadom in the box who tried to pick out Shane Long with a cross, but Daniel Ayala dealt with the danger comfortably.
Blackburn tried to counter but a smart piece of defending from Nesta Guiness-Walker saw his side win a free-kick.
Ben Brereton Diaz, who netted 22 Championship goals for Rovers last season, showed his quality when he skipped away from Yiadom and flashed a half volley just wide of the post.
Having conceded in the first 10 minutes of all three of their Championship games, it was Reading this time that made a fast start.
Scoring the opening goal for the first time this season, the Royals went ahead after 14 minutes when Tom McIntyre’s charging run at the near post saw him meet Tom Ince’s inswinging corner delivery and head in via the underside of the crossbar.
Reading maintained their high energy levels in the opening half an hour as Ince and Long continued to put pressure on the Rovers defence at every opportunity.
The hosts could have made it two when Thomas Kaminksi parried a cross into the path of Tyrese Fornah who looked to find the corner only to have his goal bound effort cleared off the line.
Just a minute after Fornah went close, Tom Holmes went even closer when he towered over a defender to meet a corner but had his header deflected over the bar by Ayala.
Ince’s men went into the break a goal in front and were unfortunate not to have a bigger lead.
Clearly unsatisfied with what he saw in the first-half, Rovers boss Tomasson made three changes at the break as Bradley Dack, Sam Gallagher and Ryan Hedges were all brought on.
Ince and Long’s relentless pressing won the ball high up the pitch and when Ince slid Jeff Hendrick through he rounded the goalkeeper, but from an acute angle he scooped the ball into the side netting after a slightly heavy pass.
Joe Lumley was required to make an incredible stop as he flew to the right to make a one handed save to keep out Ashley Phillips’ half volley.
The Royals had two great chances back-to-back.
Fornah’s cross found Holmes unmarked in the middle but the defender couldn’t direct his header goalwards.
Reading then came charging forward with three in attack and Long took aim trying to pick out the bottom corner, but Kaminski got down low to get fingertips to push it behind.
But the home side ensured they wouldn’t miss their next chance as Junior Hoilett hit the net with a ferocious strike that smacked the underside of the bar on its way in.
With 20 minutes to play, Long was replaced by Joao for his first appearance of the season.
Joao marked his substitute appearance with a goal when he received the ball from Fornah, swivelled and fired a shot into the corner past Kaminski to put the game to bed.
The Royals are back on home turf this Saturday when they host Middlesbrough.
Reading: Lumley, Guiness-Walker, Yiadom (c), Holmes, McIntyre, Hoilett, Hendrick, Fornah, Loum, Ince, Long
Subs: Bouzanis, Abrefa, John Clarke, Craig, Camara, Joao, Ehibhatiomhan
Blackburn Rovers:Kaminski, Brittain, Pickering, Ayala, Szmodics, Dolan, Buckley, Brereton Diaz, Travis, Vale, Phillips
Subs: Pears, Morton, Edun, Gallagher, Rankin-Costello, Hedges, Dack
Goals: McIntyre 14’, Hoilett 61’, Joao 78’
