Nelson Oliveira made a hero’s return to fire Reading out of the Championship relegation zone.
Having undergone surgery for a broken nose and several facial wounds less than two weeks ago following an alleged stamp by Aston Villa’s Tyrone Mings, the Portuguese warrior came back into the starting 11 sporting a protective mask and struck a brilliant winning goal four minutes from time against Blackburn.
The Royals would have been fortunate to go in at half-time level after a turgid first-half display at Madejski Stadium, but out of nothing they got their noses in front just before the whistle when John Swift converted Andy Yiadom’s low cutback.
REACTION: Every word from Jose Gomes on a dramatic victory
Seemingly buoyed by the goal, the hosts improved after the restart with substitute Yakou Meite looking lively, although the Ivorian wasted a golden chance to double the lead.
And that looked to have proved costly as Blackburn left-back Amari’i Bell equalised eight minutes from time, latching onto a through ball to fire into the far corner.
However, back came the Royals to restore their lead four minutes later through Oliveira, who collected the ball 20 yards out and curled a lovely strike into the bottom corner past a diving David Raya.
The win lifts Reading out of the bottom three, a point clear of Rotherham with 14 games remaining.
Jose Gomes made four changes from the side which drew 0-0 at Sheffield Wednesday on Saturday with Oliveira returning from his broken nose while Ovie Ejaria also recovered from illness to start. The other changes saw Omar Richards start on the wing while Liam Kelly was handed his first league appearance since November. Injured Andy Rinomhota dropped out, as did Garath McCleary, Lewis Baker and Mo Barrow.
But it was Blackburn who got off to the brighter start, playing with more intensity and creating the game’s first clear chance. Kelly was dispossessed in midfield, allowing Rovers three-on-two break. Adam Armstrong exchanged passes with Ben Brereton before seeing his shot from 10 yards stopped by Emi Martinez.
Reading were struggling to cause any problems to the Blackburn defence so Oliveira took matters into his own hands, attempting an audacious 40-yard lob which just cleared the crossbar with goalkeeper David Raya scrambling.
Andy Yiadom then tested Raya from the edge of the box in a decent five-minute spell before Blackburn regained control, without looking particularly threatening until Craig Conway fired into the side netting five minutes before half-time.
Rovers were ended the half strongly with Armstrong weaving into the box and firing over before Ejaria was dispossessed in a dangerous area allowing the striker in again, but Martinez held his shot from the edge of the box.
And out of nothing, Reading stole the lead in stoppage time. Yiadom burst past Bell on the wing and cut back for Swift, who took a couple of touches to compose himself before firing into the far corner for his third goal of the campaign.
Still clearly unimpressed by the overall first half display, Gomes turned to his bench at the break to introduce Meite in place of the disappointing Sone Aluko.
And the Ivorian made an instant impact, charging down the right wing to win a corner, which he connected with himself to register a header on target.
But Blackburn should have equalised soon after when a cross from the left was met by Brereton in the box, who took the ball down but blazed over the bar.
Meite was back in the action again midway through the half, latching onto a fine Ejaria through ball but he dragged his shot wide of the post from inside the box having broken beyond the defence.
And that miss proved costly as the visitors equalised on 82 minutes when substitute Danny Graham slipped the ball through to marauding full-back Bell, who fired hard and low across goal and found the net despite a touch from Emi Martinez.
But Reading rallied and quickly restored their advantage as Oliveira further endeared himself to the Royals faithful, bringing the ball down well and moving to the edge of the box before bending a lovely strike past Raya to send the Mad Stad into raptures.
Blackburn pushed for another late equaliser and went agonisingly close with Martinez and the defence scrambling clear from a corner as the Royals held on for just a second win under Gomes.
Reading head to Sheffield United on Saturday (3pm).
READING: Martinez; Yiadom, Miazga, Moore (c), Blackett; Kelly (Baker 81), Swift; Ejaria, Aluko (Meite 45), Richards; Oliveira (Bodvarsson 90).
Subs not used: Walker, Gunter, Harriott, Barrow.
Goals: Swift (45+1), Oliveira (86)
Yellow card: Ejaria (40)
BLACKBURN: Raya; Bennett, Rodwell, Mulgrew (c), Bell; Smallwood (Dack 57), Travis, Evans; Brereton (Rothwell 68), Conway (Graham 74), Armstrong.
Subs not used: Leutwiler, Nyambe, Reed, Williams.
Goal: Bell (82)
Yellow cards: Brereton (41)
Referee: Stephen Martin
Attendance: 11,271 (inc. 635 away)
