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ALI AL HABSI was the hero for Reading once again on Saturday afternoon.
For the shot-stopper saved a second-half Andre Gray penalty and helped his side earn a point from a second successive goalless draw at Madejski Stadium.
Al Habsi, who had kept Wolves at bay the week before, was deemed guilty of bringing down the Burnley marksmen in the box, although the ‘keeper and his team-mates angrily remonstrated Gray had taken a fall.
The goalkeeper, however, was both judge and jury on this occasion, and he may well feel justice was served when diving to his right to keep out the same player from the spot.
It was a much better performance than that witnessed here at Madejski Stadium only seven days ago, but the result means Reading are now six league games without a win, with Brian McDermott’s men remaining 15th in the Championship table.
While the effort and determination of the hosts cannot be questioned, Royals once again struggled to pack a punch in the final third, although Yann Kermorgant was unlucky not to break the deadlock with a first-half header.
Hal Robson-Kanu, who was arguably one of the home side’s biggest threats going forward on the day, also put another opening over after the break.
The pair would provide the biggest danger for Reading on an afternoon when both Matej Vydra, who has been among the goals recently, and the influential Danny Williams missed out through injury.
With the two unable to shake off respective knocks picked up during last weekend, boss McDermott was forced into a reshuffle.
In came Micheal Hector and Lukas Piazon – as did Stephen Quinn, who took the place of Garath McCleary, who was dropped to the bench.
In Andre Gray, the promotion-chasing visitors possess the Championship’s leading goalscorer this season, and the forward should have been celebrating his 19th goal of the campaign during the early exchanges.
Gray, though, was to put the ball over from just three yards when set up by George Boyd, who was sent skipping to the byline from a Sam Vokes pass before squaring to his team-mate, who put too much leverage on his strike when unmarked.
It was a let off for the Royals, who were once again slow out of the blocks.
Robson-Kanu, however, was to get the side going, but two crosses from out wide deserved better, the second of which came from a bursting run from just inside the Burnley half.
A third centre from the lively attacker, however, would create arguably the best chance of the half.
In the absence of Vydra, Kermorgant was asked to lead the line, and it was the Frenchman who got in between both Michael Keane and Ben Mee to meet the cross, only to see a combination of ‘keeper Tom Heaton and an upright deny the striker.
Sam Vokes, up the other end, was unlucky not to get a better connection on an inviting cross hung up by Matt Lowton before Reading’s Hector took the ball off the head of Jake Cooper when the pair attempted to meet a free-kick swung in by Oliver Norwood.
It was one of many fouls conceded during a niggly first 45 minutes, of which Burnley’s Joey Barton and Gray were fortunate to only esacpe with a telling off for a hard challenge on Kermorgant and kicking out at Hector respectively.
Failure to caution either was to set the tone for a number of contentious moments which went without punishment throughout the game.
While the hosts were the more tidier of two sides in possession, Burnley looked a threat on the counter attack. Scott Arfield though, on one occasion, overhit his pass as both Vokes and Gray lurked in goalscoring positions.
The latter then showed great determination to show Quinn a clean pair of heels and also skipped past Hector as he surged into the box.
Driven wide and with the angle tight, Gray looked to pull the ball back for an opponent, only for McShane to slide in and make a vital interception.
The final chance of the half, though, would fall the way of the hosts and Jordan Obita in particular. A Burnley clearance sat up nicely for the full-back, who ran on to the loose ball and let fly from the edge of the box – only to see the strike deflected out for a corner.
It was, nonetheless, an encouraging 45 minutes from the Royals, with Hector impressing in his role as a defensive midfielder and Robson-Kanu causing problems down the right.
A physical encounter on the pitch was said to have continued off it too, with it suggested Barton and Quinn had an altercation as the two teams headed back to the changing rooms.
Once play resumed it was Gray who continued to lead the charge for the away side, with the striker meeting a Boyd cross from the left after he had got away from Chris Gunter.
McShane, however, jumped up with his opponent and made the chance difficult, with Al Habsi on hand to swallow up the loose ball.
Gray would go even closer minutes later, but could only turn a low Lowton centre wide of a post from just a matter of yards out.
The forward suggested the final touch came off a Reading player, but no corner was awarded.
The opportunity would arrive only moments after a spell of pressure from the hosts yielded a chance for Piazon.
Little did he know about it, though, and with his back to goal the midfielder could only head a cross zipped in from the left wide of an upright.
While now an open and entertaining game, the fixture was never too far away from an incident, and the next would arrive on the hour mark.
An intelligent pass from David Jones cut open the Royals defence and sent Gray through on goal – only to be upended by Al Habsi as he looked to skip past the ‘keeper.
Referee James Adcock wasted no time in pointing to the penalty spot, much to the fury of the Omani, his team-mates and those supporting the home side, who were united in their opinion the player had taken a dive.
A number of scuffles broke out upon the awarding of the spot-kick, but once order was restored justice, from the home perspective, was served, as Al Habsi produced a fine save diving to his left to deny Gray from 12 yards.
Robson-Kanu picked up a yellow card for scuffing up the penalty a spot, an incident Clarets’ boss Sean Dyche was particularly damming of in his post-match interview – and Barton soon joined him in the book.
It was a synical and reckless challenge on Quinn, which many felt deserved the red.
Obita was also booked soon after when taking out Boyd as the pair battled for the ball over by the right touchline.
Although chances of the clear-cut variety remained at a premium, an opening did arrive when Quinn slipped in Robson-Kanu. The angle, however, was always narrowing and his left-foot drive flashed over an upright.
But back came Burnley, and shifting the ball out wide would result in Lowton sending over a centre which Al Habsi punched clear when racing off his line.
Jones would send the rebound back towards goal, where Paul McShane – who just last week described Royals season of late like a game of Russian Roulette – produced a last-ditch block.
Both teams continued to have a good go at one another as the game entered into five minutes of added time, but poor final touches were to let both sides down.
Kermorgant, in particular, saw his pass go astray when stealing in to win the ball as Burnley had become stretched at the back, while Cooper thumped a long ball out of play despite having simpler options around him.
Royals’ attentions can now turn to the FA Cup and next Saturday’s fifth-round clash with West Brom (3pm)
READING: Al Habsi, Gunter, Hector, McShane (c), Cooper, Hector, Norwood (Rakels 81), Robson-Kanu, Piazon (McCleary 63), Kermorgant, Quinn
Subs not used: Bond, Evans, Ferdinand, John, Barrett
BURNLEY: Heaton (c), Arfield, Gray (Hennings 85), Lowton, Barton, Ward, Vokes, Jones, Keane, Boyd, Mee.
Subs not used: Robinson, Kightly, Taylor, Ulvestad, Hennings, Tarkowski, Darikwa.
Referee: James Adcock
Attendance: 16,773 (1,428 away)
