Reading 2-2 Queens Park Rangers: Tyler Roberts' double earns comeback draw for Rs
- Published
- comments
Tyler Roberts doubled his season's goal tally to four with a second-half double
A second-half double from Tyler Roberts helped QPR fight back from 2-0 down to claim a point at Reading.
The Royals led when Jeff Hendrick drilled a low skidding shot from 25 yards in off the left-hand post.
And when Rs goalkeeper Seny Dieng could only palm Andy Yiadom's fierce strike into the air, Republic of Ireland midfielder Hendrick tapped in his second moments before the break.
However, Roberts smashed in from an acute angle and then headed in a late equaliser from close range to complete the comeback.
While Roberts grabbed the headlines, on-loan Bournemouth striker Jamal Lowe played a hand in the QPR revival, teeing up the first goal a minute into his debut off the bench.
Rangers have won just once in their last 11 league outings, but a third draw in four keeps them within four points of the play-off spots in 12th, while a run of one win in five leaves the Royals in 14th.
Reading lost defender Sam Hutchinson just 15 minutes into his return from a two-month injury lay-off, but the Royals took control thanks to Hendrick who tripled his goal tally for the season before the break with a first double since February 2015.
Dieng also had to save from Shane Long on the half-hour, but the visitors were inches from cancelling out Hendrick's opener when Lyndon Dykes' backheel, from Ilias Chair's cross, slid narrowly wide.
Having scored just three times in their previous 10 league matches, Rangers' task looked steep, but having escaped a penalty appeal when Shane Long tangled with Rob Dickie, Roberts gave them hope.
Royals keeper Joe Lumley clawed away a Dykes volley, and then kept out Ethan Laird's close-range effort, but it popped up for Roberts to head into an unguarded net.
Reading manager Paul Ince told BBC Radio Berkshire:
"We created some really good chances in the first half and were a bit more like ourselves, but at times we were sloppy and you give teams an incentive when you're sloppy.
"I thought we started the second half well and it was a blatant penalty. It's a joke decision. If the referee gives that and we score it we're 3-0 up and the game's dead and buried.
"But after that we were our own worst enemies. We've got the habit at this club of trying to protect leads and we got deeper and deeper and deeper."
Queens Park Rangers boss Neil Critchley:
"To be honest, we didn't do a great deal wrong in the first half. We had good control of the game and several promising situations up in the final third, but too many times we failed with our decision-making.
"From 2-0 down at half-time we had to show real fight and courage and believe in ourselves as a group. And that's what we did.
"I was really proud of them in the second half. We played with real purpose, we ran forward hard and scored two good goals.
"If any team deserved to pick up all three points, I think that was us."