Reading 1-1 Queens Park Rangers: Royals and R's share points in entertaining draw
- Published
Yakou Meite scored for the third successive game for Reading
Reading and Queens Park Rangers shared the points in an entertaining Championship encounter.
Rangers took the lead on the stroke of half-time when Lyndon Dykes tapped in from inside the six-yard box after Ilias Chair pulled the ball back from the byeline.
Having had a goal disallowed for offside, the Royals looked the better side after the break and deservedly levelled as Yakou Meite shot through Seny Dieng's legs.
Both sides had chances to take all three points - Lucas Joao rounded Dieng, but sliced his effort wide with the goal gaping, while Rangers finished the game well and forced two good saves from Rafael Cabral.
The draw sees the sixth-placed Royals go three points clear of Bournemouth in the race for the final play-off place, although the Cherries have a game in hand, while QPR remain 12th.
Reading could have been ahead inside the first two minutes as Dieng tipped over Andy Rinomhota's shot and Joao had an early effort blocked, while Charlie Austin and Yoann Barbet had chances for the visitors before they went ahead.
Liam Moore thought he had equalised 10 minutes after the restart, but the flag went up when he reacted quickest to net after Meite's shot had been saved.
However, two minutes later the Royals were celebrating Meite's goal which left Rangers asking whether Dieng should have done more to keep the shot out.
Thomas Holmes shot just wide for Reading with 18 minutes left before the visitors finished strongly.
Chris Willock shot wide, and Lee Wallace and Stefan Johansen both forced good saves from Cabral, while Dominic Ball glanced Robert Dickie's cross agonisingly wide of the far post.
Reading manager Veljko Paunovic told BBC Radio Berkshire:
"After conceding the goal it wasn't a good moment in the changing room at half time, but we were capable of lifting the guys and huge credit to the team, I'm so proud of the reaction we had in the second half.
"Scoring one goal that was cancelled because of offside, we showed that we were determined and we showed a character and a spirit all through the game, we always had it but have maybe lost it in the last couple of games.
"I loved that urgency, I loved that anger, that determination and conviction that we can win this game, which we could have with the opportunities we missed after levelling."
QPR manager Mark Warburton:
"We got the goal just before half-time, which was good, but we got a bit sloppy for the first 15 minutes in the second half.
"We then conceded a goal that we just can't concede. There was a challenge and we just had to defend it better.
"But then we came back into it, got into it much better and probably dominated the last 20 or so minutes. We then created quite a few chances against a very good Reading team.
"I suppose the overall feeling is one of disappointment. But to come to a place like Reading and be disappointed with a point, that means you must be moving in the right direction."