Blackburn Rovers 2-3 Reading
- Published
Dominic Samuel (left) made his debut for Reading in their 3-0 Premier League defeat by Sunderland in December 2012
George Evans' winner for Reading in injury time condemned Blackburn to a third consecutive 3-2 league defeat.
Dominic Samuel fired the visitors in front with a shot from inside the box before Danny Graham headed in to level by the break.
Liam Moore restored the visitors' lead when he chested in from close range but Wes Brown nodded home from a corner to make it 2-2 on his Championship debut.
Reading snatched all three points as Evans struck from inside the box.
Garath McCleary went close to giving the visitors the lead when his shot was expertly tipped away by Jason Steele and he was involved again as they went ahead, with his pass finding Samuel whose shot beat the Rovers keeper at his near post.
Marvin Emnes then rattled the bar before Graham headed in the equaliser and he should have claimed a second after the break when he nodded the ball straight at Ali Al-Habsi.
Reading took the lead for a second time when Moore bundled the ball over the line after Liam Kelly's 25-yard attempt had hit the underside of the crossbar and bounced on the line.
Rovers thought they had claimed at least a point when Brown headed Craig Conway's cross past Al-Habsi but Evans stroked home from McCleary's cross deep into time added on as Reading moved back up to third in the table.
Blackburn boss Owen Coyle:
"I felt overall we were the better side. We knew they would have possession, but that being said, we have created eight, I would suggest, gilt-edge chances. I'm talking about ones that should be in the back of the net.
"As well as we played, we have to be clinical at one end and at the other. I know we're decimated with centre-backs missing, but we've got to make sure we don't give up the goals and the softness of them, that we did today.
"It's hard to take, we've given everything, but we have got to tidy up on individual errors."
Reading manager Jaap Stam:
"We deserved the win. We're always looking for a certain way of playing, dominating with possession and creating chances.
"We still tried to control the game, but every time we scored they got back and that gives the opposition confidence. I think after it went 2-2 we regained possession and controlled the game a bit more and went forward as well more.
"In doing that, we're very happy. But I'm honest, and they made it very difficult for us.