In the final minute of a very generous period of stoppage time Adam Le Fondre secured three points for the Royals. His darting run drew a rash challenge from Warnock which resulted in the Leeds defender conceding a free kick receiving a second yellow card. Warnock’s dismissal was too late in the game to matter but the free kick ultimately led to Leeds’ downfall as a well flighted delivery was flicked on before Le Fondre applied a deft touch to divert he ball past Paddy Kenny. It was a victory which the Royals deserved – just.

The game started badly for the home side when Karacan was the unfortunate victim of his own poorly timed challenge. He was stretchered off, clearly seriously injured as he was last time the two teams met, only on this occasion he can only have himself to blame. It appears it will take a long time to repair. It was high price to pay for his commitment to his team and he will be greatly missd in the coming weeks. He was replaced by Akpan and the game settled down.

Robson-Kanu started as a central striker and his early involvement was very promising indeed. His touch was good and he was able to bring other players in to the game. He made room for a shot but Kenny was able to gather comfortably. Reading’s most promising attacks were coming on the left involving Bridge and Drenthe. Williams drew a save from Kenny but it was at a nice height for the ‘keeper to reach. The best chance of the half fell to Morrison from a good free kick, but his header was placed just wide of the post. He should have scored and he knew it. It was one of three decent opportunities to score with his head but each attempt was high or wide of the mark.

Reading had dominated possession for long spells and did so again at the beginning of the second half looking more likely to score than the visitors. Leeds did pose threat getting players forward quickly when Reading attacks broke down. Good defending by the entire back individually and collectively restricted United to only a couple of scoring opportunities. Tackles were well timed and positional sense took everyone into the right areas at the right time. Leeds however, came very close to scoring moments before Le Fondre notched the winner when Jason Pearce’s header ruffled the side netting leading to misguided celebrations from the away fans.

It was a disappointing return for Brian Mc Dermott but a valuable win for the Royals taking them up to seventh place having only lost one game so far this season. This victory can be attributed to good organisation and hard work. Guthrie played a central and crucial role and on this showing might arguably make a better captain than Morrison. It was a team effort and although there were only flashes of good play, the defence is holding firm and Reading are gathering the points which could provide a platform for a promotion push later- provided they can start putting the ball in the net more frequently. How they are to do that still remains a bit a mystery!
John Wells

Three points papers over the cracks again. Better performance but far from good enough.
Guthrie outstanding in midfield, but Akpan and Williams dire alongside him. Both easily pushed off the ball, the same with Williams at the weekend also. For a big man he's far too easily pushed off the ball.

One striker up front isn't working and will not work. We simply don't have the players to support the lone striker. We had a couple of decent balls into the box tonight, and with one man to aim for, the ball passed him by every time. We need two up front, either try adopt a 4-3-1-2 formation, or a 4-4-2 which we are better suited to. We just don't have enough quality to make one up front work.

Sneaking a winner is great, even sweeter against that lot, but it really does just hide a mountain of problems.

Adkins says Jem's injury is a bad one, so that's him out for a few months now at the very least. If we were serious about Sissoko, we now must go out and get another CM, or look to young Jake Taylor. And the need for another striker is even more apparent.
One8Seven1

Surely people should have learned by now not to leave early?
So many of my favourite moments supporting this club have come in added time. You're essentially paying in hope of seeing something memorable, and you're most likely to see something really memorable in the final minutes. So why leave early?

Anyway, Blackman looked poor, and HRK only looked good when he got to run at goal- I don't think playing as a striker gives him those opportunities. Guthrie was excellent. Bridge looks good. A midfield two of Akpan and Williams fills me with dread.
SCIAG

It was a miserable return to Reading for Leeds manager Brian McDermott — Adam Le Fondre scoring after a Royston Drenthe free-kick deep into injury time. McDermott returned to face Reading for the first time since he was sacked by the club and replaced by his opposite number on the touchline Nigel Adkins.

It was a shame the match failed to produce the spectacle the occasion warranted. McDermott was warmly received by fans in all four stands when he came out of the tunnel just before kick-off. It is no wonder — he led them in what many fans consider the most successful period in the club’s history before Reading owner Anton Zingarevich decided he wasn’t the man for the job.
Daily Mail

Brian McDermott hit out at referee Neil Swarbrick for ruining his return to the Madejski Stadium, as Reading earned a last-gasp victory against Leeds. McDermott, now the manager of United, was back in Berkshire for the first time since being dismissed by the Royals in March.

He looked destined to leave with a point, before substitute Adam Le Fondre headed in Royston Drenthe’s free-kick after six minutes of added time. McDermott was furious the game was still going at that stage, after only four extra minutes had been indicated by the fourth official. "I never thought in a million years we would lose," he said. "The referee was still playing at 95-and-a-half minutes for some reason."
The Telegraph