Marlon Pack needs to tread carefully. Already on a yellow card, the Cardiff midfielder brings down Josh Laurent and gets another ticking off from referee John Brooks.

From the free-kick, the ball is played into Lucas Joao inside the Cardiff penalty area.

The Reading striker works himself into a shooting position on the left, and his firm effort is beaten away by Alex Smithies.

Reading have been much better in the early stages of this second half.

Ovie Ejaria tries to curl a 20-yard effort towards the top far corner but it's easily held by Alex Smithies in the Cardiff goal.

Blackburn have the first decent chance of the second half.

A long clearance forward by the keeper is diverted into the path of Adam Armstrong by Lewis Holtby.

Amstrong shoots from the corner of the six-yard box but David Marshall is off his line quickly to save.

Jason Perry
Former Cardiff player on BBC Radio Wales

They're working extremely hard Cardiff and the Reading players do not like this physical contact.

A second yellow card in quick succession for Cardiff and this time it's for midfielder Marlon Pack, who brings down Michael Olise in rather cynical fashion.

Ovie Ejaria sets off on a slaloming run into the Cardiff penalty area, but he gets in a tangle and the Bluebirds clear.

Cardiff defender Curtis Nelson has been booked just a minute into the second half, and he looks perplexed.

He was challenging for an aerial duel with Lucas Joao and, despite protesting his innocence, Nelson is shown a yellow card by referee John Brooks.

Reading get the second half started. It's got to be better than the first, surely?

Back under way in Blackburn, and it's a big 45 minutes for the visitors.

As it stands Derby are heading five points clear of the relegation zone, but the Rams could do with all three points.

Both sides are unchanged for the second half.

Image source, Huw Evans Picture Agency

There's not been much to set pulses racing during that first half at the Madejski Stadium.

But how good is it to see Cardiff defender Sol Bamba in the TV studio with Sky Sports?

It was revealed in January the 36-year-old Ivory Coast international was being treated for cancer.

But he's been able to resume light training with the Cardiff squad this month and he looks to be making good progress with his recovery.

Two out-of-form teams are level at the break.

Tom Lawrence's header put the Rams ahead midway through the first half but Sam Gallagher equalised for the hosts three minutes before the break.

Derby have had the better chances, and will probably feel they should be ahead, with Patrick Roberts shooting wide and Louie Sibley forcing Rovers keeper Thomas Kaminski into a good save.

Reading have described this game as must-win for their hopes of getting into the Championship play-offs - but it hasn't gone to plan so far.

There have been very few real scoring opportunities in this battle between seventh and eighth in the table.

Cardiff have come closest to a goal and one would imagine Mick McCarthy is the happier of the two managers so far.

Great save from Thomas Kaminski right at the end of the first half.

The Rovers keeper gets down to get fingertips to a shot across goal from Louie Sibley and help the ball go narrowly wide of the post.

Will Vaulks' inswinging corner from the left for Cardiff is a good one but Curtis Nelson and Aden Flint seem to get in each other's way.

Harry Wilson then swings in another corner from the right, but Reading clear and see out his follow-up cross for a goal kick.

Omar Richards delivers an inviting cross from Reading's left over to the back post, but Cardiff wing-back Perry Ng is on hand to head the ball out for a corner.

Cardiff clear and then counter-attack. Will Vaulks launches one of his long throws into the box - but then Curtis Nelson is penalised for a push and the move breaks down.

Jason Perry
Former Cardiff player on BBC Radio Wales

When Mick McCarthy can bring in the players that he wants you might see players come in and some players that may have really stood out in this formation leave.

Cardiff's midfield three of Joe Ralls, Marlon Pack and Will Vaulks are certainly tenacious - they're not giving their opponents a moment's rest.

But they've not had a chance to show what they can do in attack yet.

Apart from set-pieces and the occasional hopeful long ball, the Bluebirds have struggled to create genuine chances.

Derby come oh-so-close to doubling their lead.

A team move takes the Rams from the left flank to the right before Nathan Byrne tees up Patrick Roberts on the edge of the area for a shot.

The on-loan Manchester City man curls narrowly wide of the left-hand upright.

Jason Perry
Former Cardiff player on BBC Radio Wales

Reading don't look like a team that's been affected by the recent results, they're passing and moving the ball about well.