Mick Gooding
Ex-Reading player/manager on BBC Radio Berkshire

Tom Holmes will be gutted to be beaten to the ball by Aden Flint but then you've got to look at the other players - how has Wilmot got a free hit?

Stoke have won the first contact, then you've got to look at the second contact.

That's what's cost Reading.

Image source, Getty Images

All square at the break and that's probably a fair reflection of the match so far.

Lucas Joao gave Reading an early lead inside the first minute before Ben Wilmot brought his side back level from a corner shortly before half-time.

Mick Gooding
Ex-Reading player/manager on BBC Radio Berkshire

It was a little wrestling match going on between Flint and Holmes at the corner – and Flint nudged Holmes out of the way to head the ball back and Wilmot put it in from six yards.

It takes a slight deflection off Yiadom else it would have been straight in the hands of Lumley.

A second consecutive free-kick, this time for a foul on Shane Long, is much closer to the box and gives Tom Ince another chance to challenge the Stoke goal.

Jack Bonham punches away the first header that comes in and catches the second, to calm any Stoke nerves.

Image source, Rex Features

It's slowed down a bit as we're approaching the final 10 minutes before half-time.

Reading are enjoying a spell of possession and win a free-kick just inside the Stoke half.

Mick Gooding
Ex-Reading player/manager on BBC Radio Berkshire

Holmes has done brilliantly at the far post to pull it back as cleanly as he did, it falls to Shane Long and that just has to be the second goal.

But it’s come off his shin.

How did Shane Long miss that!?

Reading win a corner and it falls to Long who manages, somehow, to send it over the bar despite being about six yards out of the goal.

That should have been 2-0.

Stoke are having almost all the possession here, but it's Reading who look more like scoring again at the moment.

Tom Ince darts down field in acres of space to put the ball into the box again. Only problem is it's a shot and a cross in one and there's no one there to get on the end of it.

Reading lose the ball in midfield and are almost punished at the other end.

Will Smallbone breaks down the right and sends a teasing cross into the box towards Tyrese Campbell, who's the only man he can really target.

Sam Hutchinson manages to clear it but is not happy with his team-mates for letting the break happen.

Mick Gooding
Ex-Reading player/manager on BBC Radio Berkshire

Tom Ince will be a little bit disappointed with that - he's trying to put too much power on it so he loses the accuracy.

But what he's done in this game, the young players must be looking at him and thinking, wow. He puts in more yards and more tackles than anybody.

Image source, PA Media

Tom Ince makes a darting run through the midfield, cutting inside to the box but when he finally gets his shot away it's from distance and he drags the ball wide of the far post.

A good effort he'd have liked to have on target you imagine.

A teasing pass comes into the box from Will Smallborne and almost picks out Liam Delap who was making a run into space, but Reading were there to clear the danger.

Stoke can't quite find the space behind the hosts' defence at the moment.

Reading fans aren't happy as Andy Yiadom goes down heavily in the box under a Sam Clucas challenge, but the referee waves away any penalty calls. Clucas timed it well getting his toe on the ball, just.

A good bit of play almost sees Lucas Joao released again for Reading but he runs out of pitch and can't quite get on the end of the pass and the ball goes out for a goal kick.

Reading are looking dangerous whenever they break forward.

Lewis Baker gives Stoke their first shot on goal but it's a fairly soft one from distance and Joe Lumley can collect it fairly comfortably.

Stoke are dominating the ball since that early goal went in and forcing Reading into making a lot of big defensive stops.

Alex Neil is calling on his players to just keep possession and calm things down by the look of it.

Image source, PA Media

A long ball comes over the top from Stoke and Sam Hutchinson, now already on a booking, has to time his challenge to perfection in the box to clear the ball.

He does and sends it out for a first Stoke corner.

Sam Hutchinson goes in the book early for Reading for a foul and concedes a free-kick. Stoke have a chance to send the ball into the box, but it comes to nothing.

Mick Gooding
Ex-Reading player/manager on BBC Radio Berkshire

It was a great spot and strike from Joe Lumley and a great run by Lucas Joao. But the keeper came so far out and then the defender has got to clear that on the line.

It's a great start for Reading. At the start of the season they were conceding early goals but now they've scored in the first 90 seconds.