READING are on a mission to escape the League One relegation zone and have a chance to move out of the bottom four with their Tuesday night trip to Stevenage.
Ruben Selles’ side have enjoyed an upturn in form in recent months and have lost just one of their last 10 league matches.
The Royals managed to fight back in the Thames Valley derby on Saturday by coming back from a goal down to earn a point away at play-off pushing Oxford United.
The result means that Reading are just two points adrift of safety going into the midweek round of games.
Tuesday’s opponents are flying high and currently sit in the play-off spots on 52 points from 28 games putting them in sixth.
Steve Evans’ team have won four of their last five matches which has seen them enter the top six.
Boro made it three wins on the bounce on Saturday after Jake Forster-Caskey hit an 85th minute winner to help them see off Blackpool on the back of wins against both Shrewsbury and Wigan Athletic.
Stevenage striker Jamie Reid is currently second in the scoring charts having hit 16 goals in 27 matches.
In the reverse fixture back in August, Reading ran out as 2-0 winners.
Nathan Thompson received an early red card for the visitors, while goals either side of half-time from Kelvin Ehibhatiomhan helped the Royals to pick up three points at the Select Car Leasing Stadium.
Left-back Nesta Guinness-Walker, who joined Stevenage on loan from Reading in the January transfer window, will be ineligible to play.
Defender Tom Holmes is unlikely to feature after nursing a back injury that also kept him out of Saturday’s trip to Oxford.
Predicted Reading line-up: Button, Yiadom, Mbengue, Bindon, Dorsett, Craig, Wing, Knibbs, Azeez, Ehibhatiomhan, Smith
