Charlie Savage celebrates after scoring a goal for ReadingRex Features

Charlie Savage, 22, has already made 114 appearances for Reading

Dan George
BBC Sport at the SCL Stadium

Reading beat Stevenage thanks to a first-half strike by Charlie Savage that gave new Royals boss Leam Richardson victory in his first league match in charge.

Savage, son of Forest Green boss and ex-Wales midfielder Robbie - who was in attendance at the Select Car Leasing Stadium - curled home what proved to be the winning goal just five minutes in.

Stevenage came close to an equaliser in the second half when Gassan Ahadme took advantage of a defensive mix-up but his powerful strike cannoned off the crossbar.

Fourth-placed Stevenage, who would have gone top of League One with victory, are now without a win in their past three games while Reading, who began the night just one place above the bottom four, jump up to 12th.

The Royals started the game well as Kelvin Ehibhatiomhan had a header cleared off the line before his side then took the lead thanks to a beautiful strike by Savage.

The midfielder received the ball in the left corner of the box and sweetly struck home with his right foot into the far side netting for his first goal of the season.

Reading came close to doubling their lead on the half-hour mark as Lewis Wing whipped in a cross from the right and found Jeriel Dorsett who just lifted the ball over the crossbar with a mis-hit effort.

Just before the break the referee pulled out a red card for the previously booked Dorsett but, after a conversation with his assistant, it was adjudged a case of mistaken identity and Daniel Kyerewaa received a caution instead.

Stevenage started the second half much better than they did the first and had a great chance to level the game but the woodwork came to Reading's rescue.

Royals full-back Kelvin Abrefa played a backpass that was poorly judged and put Boro striker Ahadme through on goal and he took a touch to the right before letting fly with a shot that crashed against the crossbar.

That would prove to be as close as Stevenage would come to an equaliser, although Reading keeper Joel Pereira did make a fine double save from Dan Kemp and Phoenix Patterson, as the hosts gamely held out.

Reading 'could have been even better' - Richardson

Reading boss Leam Richardson speaking to BBC Radio Berkshire:

"We stared the game terrifically well and it was a well earned goal.

"I'm possibly disappointed that we didn't go again as we had chances where we could have been better.

"The game petered out into quite an even game but we always said that if we met the challenge that Stevenage brought then our quality would come through and it did.

"Looking forward we have to take small steps individually to become a good collective team in and out of possession."

Stevenage 'struggled' to get going - Revell

Stevenage boss Alex Revell speaking to Sky Sports:

"We started the game really poorly. We struggled just to get together with the shape that they had.

"Second half we came out much better and pushed. I thought it was us who was going to go on to win the game. I thought there was a massive chance we should have taken and if we'd taken that...

"It's difficult when you don't start fast, it's hard to grow into the game.

"We were slow in our play which isn't like us. We've missed an opportunity to go top but we just have to keep going."

Player of the match

Joel Pereira
8.69
1 Joel Pereira
8.69
8 C. Savage
7.82
33 D. Williams
7.53
3 J. Dorsett
7.28
15 P. O'Connor
7.28
2 K. Abrefa
7.21
10 L. Wing
7.07
29 K. Doyle
7.00
32 P. Lane
6.88
11 D. Kyerewaa
6.74
9 K. Ehibhatiomhan
6.56
30 M. Ritchie
6.55
17 A. Yiadom
6.38
21 R. Williams
5.25
20 M. O'Mahony
4.80
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