Reading 1-2 Middlesbrough: Patrick Roberts hits winner as Boro fight back to beat Royals
- Published
Ashley Fletcher's first-half goal was his 13th in 44 appearances this season
Patrick Roberts scored one goal and made another as Middlesbrough eased their Championship relegation fears with victory at Reading.
Liam Moore struck from close range following a corner to give Reading the lead.
But Roberts, who was recalled for the trip to Berkshire, swung in the cross for Ashley Fletcher to equalise shortly before half-time.
The forward missed a golden chance to give Neil Warnock's side the lead with 15 minutes left, but he made amends six minutes later when he converted Marvin Johnson's cross from 15 yards out.
The win sees Boro go five points clear of third-from-bottom Hull City, who were thrashed 8-0 at Wigan Athletic, while Reading drop to 14th place.
Boro only have two games to play and are still not certain of staying up.
After an awful first 30 minutes, Moore got ahead of his marker to smash in Tyler Blackett's flick-on from a yard out for his first goal of the season.
The Royals almost doubled the lead soon after when John Swift struck a low right-foot effort against the post from 25 yards and Yakou Meite headed over the rebound, while Michael Olise made a hash of a one-on-one when sent through by his goalkeeper.
Boro's first chance came with two minutes to go to half-time as Djed Spence headed Fletcher's cross wide when it seemed easier to score.
But the provider turned scorer as the forward glanced in his 12th league goal of the season from Roberts' cross from the right.
Reading started the second period brightly as Gabriel Osho swung in two dangerous crosses, while Olise and Meite fired efforts wide of the post from outside the box.
Roberts had the chance to win it with 15 minutes to go, but after a great run into the area from the right, he scuffed a weak shot that was easily saved by keeper Rafael Cabral.
But Roberts did not have to wait long to seal a third win in six games for Warnock.
Reading manager Mark Bowen told BBC Radio Berkshire:
"We let them back in with a sloppy goal as we didn't defend a cross well enough.
"In the second half, in forward areas, we had possession in there, but we were lacking real quality to go and get into clear-cut chances.
"I see it on the training ground every day with these players, they can move the ball quickly and create, but today I thought some individuals were a little bit casual in the way they were with the ball."
Middlesbrough manager Neil Warnock told BBC Radio Tees:
"The players gave me everything tonight, I couldn't have asked for any more.
"I was told that we'd never won a game when we went behind, and at 1-0 just before half-time I turned to Kevin [Blackwell, assistant manager] and I said 'we can win this tonight, this could be our first game'.
"I was going to say that to the players and then we go and score, so it was even better for me.
"I thought we could just step up a little bit and I thought we did tonight. It looked like we enjoyed it, passing it around, moving and people battling."