Leroy Lita marked his return to Reading with a goal as Middlesbrough ended a sequence of three Championship fixtures without a victory.
Lita had four seasons at Reading and should have scored in the opening half but shot straight at Adam Federici.
However, Lita picked the ball up on the halfway line after the break and beat Darren O'Dea and Ivar Ingimarsson before slotting home.
Sean St Ledger had put Boro ahead with a deflected near-post header.
Reading manager Brendan Rodgers: "Everything that was good about us in midweek (the 2-1 win at Preston) wasn't good today.
"We showed quality to get into the areas we wanted to be in but a mixture of poor decision making and poor final ball let us down.
"We started on the back foot and we were lacklustre - it's difficult to put your finger on it. We need to show courage and bravery at home to make things happen and we didn't do that today."
Middlesbrough boss Gareth Southgate: "I am pleased for the boys at the end of what has been a difficult week. They responded with a calmness and unity.
"Some supporters have expressed their displeasure, which I have accepted. Our job is to manage the club through difficult times.
"It's easy to manage when things are going well but the margins between success and failure are so small.
"Leroy Lita was terrific."
Live text and stats
Saturday, 3 October 2009
Championship
Home Team
Score
Away Team
Time
Reading
0 - 2
Middlesbrough
R
(HT 0 - 1)
St. Ledger 12
Lita 55
Reading
01 Federici
16 Ingimarsson
24 Bertrand
35 Cummings
48 O'Dea
06 Gunnarsson (Sigurdsson 58)
11 McAnuff
14 Kebe (Hunt 46)
20 Karacan yellow card
34 Howard
18 Church
Substitutes
21 Hamer,
05 Mills,
26 Pearce,
04 Cisse,
08 Matejovsky,
25 Sigurdsson,
10 Hunt
Middlesbrough
01 Jones
12 St. Ledger
25 Williams
27 Bennett
29 McMahon
31 Wheater
07 Yeates (Arca 70)
16 O'Neil
18 Johnson
09 Lita (Emnes 88)
10 Aliadiere
Substitutes
21 Coyne,
02 Hoyte,
23 Grounds,
24 Hines,
08 Digard,
20 Arca,
11 Emnes
Ref: SwarbrickAtt: 17638
READING
MIDDLESBROUGH
Possession
Reading45%
Middlesbrough55%
Shots on target
Reading8
Middlesbrough7
Shots off target
Reading8
Middlesbrough2
Corners
Reading7
Middlesbrough5
Fouls
Reading7
Middlesbrough10
Final Result
Full Time
90:00+2:57 The final whistle goes and the game is over.
90:00+1:07 Simon Church takes a shot. Save made by Brad Jones.
89:51 The referee blows for offside against Marvin Emnes. Adam Federici restarts play with the free kick.
89:11 Simon Church takes a shot. Save by Brad Jones.
88:42 David Wheater concedes a free kick for a foul on Brian Howard. Free kick crossed left-footed by Ryan Bertrand, Sean St. Ledger
makes a clearance.
87:02 Substitution Leroy Lita goes off and Marvin Emnes comes on.
86:33 Unfair challenge on Tony McMahon by Jobi McAnuff results in a free kick. Brad Jones restarts play with the free kick.
85:53 Free kick awarded for a foul by Jeremie Aliadiere on Darren O'Dea. Darren O'Dea takes the free kick.
85:17 Jobi McAnuff takes a shot from just outside the penalty area which clears the crossbar.
82:44 Brian Howard is caught offside. Indirect free kick taken by Brad Jones.
81:15 Shaun Cummings takes a shot. David Wheater gets a block in.
81:14 The assistant referee signals for offside against Leroy Lita. Adam Federici restarts play with the free kick.
80:38 Jeremie Aliadiere takes a shot. Ivar Ingimarsson gets a block in.
80:11 Jeremie Aliadiere takes a shot. Blocked by Darren O'Dea.
77:16 Simon Church gives away a free kick for an unfair challenge on David Wheater. Free kick taken by Sean St. Ledger.
75:20 Brian Howard gives away a free kick for an unfair challenge on Tony McMahon. Brad Jones takes the direct free kick.
Correction - 74:06 Joe Bennett concedes a free kick for a foul on Gylfi Sigurdsson. Free kick crossed right-footed by Gylfi Sigurdsson, save
by Brad Jones.
74:06 Joe Bennett concedes a free kick for a foul on Gylfi Sigurdsson. Direct free kick taken by Gylfi Sigurdsson.
73:40 A cross is delivered by Jobi McAnuff, clearance made by David Wheater.
72:24 Jobi McAnuff sends in a cross, Joe Bennett manages to make a clearance.
70:19 Adam Johnson is caught offside. Indirect free kick taken by Ryan Bertrand.
69:52 Substitution Julio Arca comes on in place of Mark Yeates.
69:17 Jeremie Aliadiere takes a shot. Save by Adam Federici.
68:17 Corner taken by Jeremie Aliadiere.
68:09 The ball is crossed by Rhys Williams, blocked by Ryan Bertrand.
Correction - 66:18 Inswinging corner taken left-footed by Jobi McAnuff, Adam Johnson manages to make a clearance.
66:18 Corner from the right by-line taken by Brian Howard, clearance by Adam Johnson.
65:58 Gylfi Sigurdsson fouled by Adam Johnson, the ref awards a free kick. Direct free kick taken by Shaun Cummings.
64:41 Foul by Adam Johnson on Jobi McAnuff, free kick awarded. Direct free kick taken by Brian Howard.
63:43 The ball is sent over by Noel Hunt, Mark Yeates manages to make a clearance.
62:47 Foul by Mark Yeates on Ryan Bertrand, free kick awarded. Gylfi Sigurdsson restarts play with the free kick.
62:17 The ball is sent over by Shaun Cummings.
62:07 The ball is sent over by Noel Hunt, blocked by Sean St. Ledger.
58:31 Inswinging corner taken from the left by-line by Gylfi Sigurdsson.
58:27 Noel Hunt sends in a cross, blocked by David Wheater.
Correction - 56:39 Leroy Lita is flagged offside by the assistant referee. Adam Federici takes the indirect free kick.
56:39 The assistant referee flags for offside against Leroy Lita. Adam Federici restarts play with the free kick.
55:53 Brian Howard takes a shot from inside the box clearing the bar.
54:26 GOAL - Leroy Lita:Reading 0 - 2 Middlesbrough Leroy Lita finds the net with a goal from just inside the area to the bottom left corner of the goal. Reading 0-2 Middlesbrough.
53:05 Mark Yeates crosses the ball, Adam Federici makes a save.
50:52 Inswinging corner taken from the right by-line by Ryan Bertrand.
50:17 Foul by David Wheater on Simon Church, free kick awarded. Direct free kick taken by Brynjar Gunnarsson.
49:14 Inswinging corner taken left-footed by Adam Johnson, Darren O'Dea makes a clearance.
46:36 Tony McMahon delivers the ball, save by Adam Federici.
45:01 The referee gets the second half started.
45:01 Substitution Jimmy Kebe leaves the field to be replaced by Noel Hunt.
Half Time
45:00+1:47 The first half comes to an end.
45:00+1:07 Jem Karacan takes a shot from just outside the penalty area clears the crossbar.
45:00+0:42 Jobi McAnuff takes a shot. Sean St. Ledger gets a block in.
45:00+0:21 Jem Karacan delivers the ball.
44:44 Sean St. Ledger fouled by Brian Howard, the ref awards a free kick. Brad Jones takes the free kick.
43:44 Adam Johnson gives away a free kick for an unfair challenge on Jem Karacan. Ryan Bertrand takes the direct free kick.
42:29 Gary O'Neil fouled by Simon Church, the ref awards a free kick. The free kick is swung in left-footed by Joe Bennett, Darren
O'Dea makes a clearance.
40:28 Brian Howard sends in a cross, Effort on goal by Simon Church from inside the penalty box misses to the right of the target.
39:59 The ball is swung over by Ryan Bertrand, Sean St. Ledger makes a clearance.
38:46 Jimmy Kebe produces a cross, save by Brad Jones.
38:03 Outswinging corner taken by Brian Howard from the right by-line, Close range headed effort by Ivar Ingimarsson clears the
crossbar.
37:06 Jem Karacan takes a shot. Blocked by David Wheater.
35:18 Unfair challenge on Jem Karacan by Leroy Lita results in a free kick. Free kick crossed by Jimmy Kebe.
34:15 Leroy Lita gives away a free kick for an unfair challenge on Darren O'Dea. Adam Federici restarts play with the free kick.
32:35 A cross is delivered by Shaun Cummings, Header by Brian Howard from deep inside the penalty area misses to the right of the
target.
31:20 Simon Church takes a shot. Blocked by Tony McMahon.
29:46 Outswinging corner taken from the right by-line by Mark Yeates.
29:31 Adam Johnson takes a shot. Blocked by Darren O'Dea.
28:43 The ball is swung over by Jobi McAnuff.
27:11 Effort on goal by Leroy Lita from just inside the penalty area goes over the target.
26:45 The ball is crossed by Jobi McAnuff, clearance made by Sean St. Ledger.
26:09 Corner from right by-line taken by Brian Howard.
25:06 The official flags Jimmy Kebe offside. Free kick taken by Brad Jones.
24:17 Booking Jem Karacan goes into the book for unsporting behaviour.
23:46 The ball is swung over by Jobi McAnuff, Close range headed effort by Jimmy Kebe misses to the right of the target.
23:04 Rhys Williams produces a cross, clearance by Ivar Ingimarsson.
21:10 Foul by Jem Karacan on Mark Yeates, free kick awarded. Direct free kick taken by Brad Jones.
18:02 Leroy Lita takes a shot. Save made by Adam Federici.
17:31 Jobi McAnuff takes a shot. Save made by Brad Jones.
Correction - 15:07 Effort on goal by Brian Howard from just inside the penalty box goes harmlessly over the target.
15:07 Shot by Brian Howard from just outside the area goes over the net.
Correction - 12:00 Assist on the goal came from Adam Johnson.
Correction - 12:00 GOAL - Sean St. Ledger:Reading 0 - 1 Middlesbrough Sean St. Ledger finds the back of the net with a headed goal from inside the six-yard box. Reading 0-1 Middlesbrough.
12:00 Assist by Adam Johnson.
12:00 GOAL - Sean St. Ledger:Reading 0 - 1 Middlesbrough Sean St. Ledger finds the back of the net with a headed goal from close range. Reading 0-1 Middlesbrough.
Correction - 11:27 Corner taken left-footed by Adam Johnson,
11:27 Adam Johnson takes the inswinging corner,
9:29 Adam Johnson produces a cross.
9:15 Leroy Lita takes a shot. Ivar Ingimarsson gets a block in.
7:16 Jobi McAnuff gives away a free kick for an unfair challenge on Joe Bennett. Direct free kick taken by Brad Jones.
6:20 Jem Karacan sends in a cross.
5:49 Outswinging corner taken from the right by-line by Ryan Bertrand.
4:12 Mark Yeates sends in a cross.
3:05 Jem Karacan takes a shot. Save made by Brad Jones.
Correction - 2:43 Outswinging corner taken right-footed by Jobi McAnuff from the left by-line.
2:43 Outswinging corner taken by Mark Yeates from the left by-line.
0:00 The match gets underway.
Live text and data provided by The Press Association.
This page is best viewed in an up-to-date web browser with style sheets (CSS) enabled. While you will be able to view the content of this page in your current browser, you will not be able to get the full visual experience. Please consider upgrading your browser software or enabling style sheets (CSS) if you are able to do so.
Bookmark with:
What are these?