Shane Long's first-half goal earned Reading a vital victory against Barnsley but the Royals still remain in the Championship's bottom three.
Keeper Luke Steele's fumble fell to Gylfi Sigurdsson who squared the ball to Long to tap into an open net for his first league goal since April 2009.
Adam Hammill came close to an instant equaliser with a fine shot on the turn.
Long also later tested Steele with a powerful 25-yard effort while Jobi McAnuff also hit the post for Reading.
Reading manager Brian McDermott:
"Today is just what we needed. We showed courage and spirit, although 1-0 is always a bit hairy towards the end of the game.
"In the past things have happened when we were leading 1-0, but the important thing about this result is that we got all three points."
"Shane Long was excellent, he was really athletic and he won his headers, and there are signs of a growing partnership between him and Simon Church."
"But we have five or six strikers fighting for a place in the team."
Barnsley boss Mark Robins:
"It was poor from start to finish, we have not defended well enough and Reading's goal was something you see in the playground.
"The ball's got through Luke Steele's fingers, we then had another chance to close it down but didn't and it was a catalogue of errors.
"Everything was poor about our play and this has got to be a one-off.
"Credit to Reading, they worked hard, but we didn't do any of the things we spoke of before the game.
Live text and stats
Saturday, 30 January 2010
Championship
Home Team
Score
Away Team
Time
Reading
1-0
Barnsley
FT
(HT 1-0)
Long 29
Reading
01 Federici
05 Mills
16 Ingimarsson
24 Bertrand
40 Griffin
06 Gunnarsson yellow card
11 McAnuff
20 Karacan (Howard 84)
25 Sigurdsson
09 Long
18 Church (Bignall 74)
Substitutes
21 Hamer,
44 Khizanishvili,
14 Kebe,
34 Howard,
23 Rasiak,
29 Bignall,
36 Thorvaldsson
Barnsley
01 Steele
04 Moore
06 Foster
29 Dickinson
30 Shotton
05 Colace
15 De Silva yellow card (Hallfredsson 74)
25 Hammill (Adam 81)
39 Doyle
07 Hume
21 Macken (Bogdanovic 46)
Substitutes
12 Preece,
19 Butterfield,
22 Potter,
14 Hallfredsson,
10 Bogdanovic,
17 Adam,
27 Gray
Ref: LinningtonAtt: 15,580
READING
BARNSLEY
Possession
Reading53%
Barnsley47%
Attempts on target
Reading3
Barnsley0
Attempts off target
Reading6
Barnsley4
Corners
Reading5
Barnsley2
Fouls
Reading15
Barnsley18
Final Result
Full Time
90:00+5:21 The referee signals the end of the game.
90:00+1:19 Emil Hallfredsson challenges Brynjar Gunnarsson unfairly and gives away a free kick. Adam Federici restarts play with the
free kick.
89:51 Matthew Mills concedes a free kick for a foul on Stephen Foster. Carl Dickinson crosses the ball in from the free kick, Gylfi
Sigurdsson makes a clearance.
Correction - 88:59 Shane Long is ruled offside. Free kick taken by Carl Dickinson.
88:59 The assistant referee signals for offside against Shane Long. Free kick taken by Carl Dickinson.
86:13 Emil Hallfredsson is flagged offside by the assistant referee. Adam Federici takes the free kick.
85:39 Foul by Brian Howard on Emil Hallfredsson, free kick awarded. The free kick is delivered right-footed by Nathan Doyle from
right channel.
84:39 Free kick awarded for an unfair challenge on Hugo Colace by Shane Long. Luke Steele takes the free kick.
84:10 Jamil Adam gives away a free kick for an unfair challenge on Ryan Bertrand. Ryan Bertrand takes the free kick.
83:09 Substitution Brian Howard on for Jem Karacan.
80:16 Substitution Jamil Adam comes on in place of Adam Hammill.
78:32 Free kick awarded for an unfair challenge on Jem Karacan by Adam Hammill. Adam Federici takes the free kick.
78:05 Inswinging corner taken from the left by-line by Iain Hume.
76:59 Unfair challenge on Ryan Bertrand by Daniel Bogdanovic results in a free kick. Direct free kick taken by Adam Federici.
73:05 Jem Karacan delivers the ball from the free kick left-footed from left channel, Darren Moore manages to make a clearance.
73:05 Substitution Emil Hallfredsson comes on in place of Anderson De Silva.
73:05 Substitution Nicholas Bignall on for Simon Church.
73:05 Booking Anderson De Silva is cautioned.
72:35 Free kick awarded for a foul by Anderson De Silva on Ryan Bertrand.
70:44 Corner from the right by-line taken by Ryan Bertrand, Simon Church concedes a free kick for a foul on Luke Steele. Direct
free kick taken by Luke Steele.
70:18 Unfair challenge on Jem Karacan by Ryan Shotton results in a free kick. Gylfi Sigurdsson takes the free kick.
68:31 Darren Moore concedes a free kick for a foul on Shane Long. Matthew Mills restarts play with the free kick.
67:30 Free kick awarded for a foul by Daniel Bogdanovic on Brynjar Gunnarsson. Ryan Bertrand takes the free kick.
66:44 Simon Church challenges Carl Dickinson unfairly and gives away a free kick. Carl Dickinson restarts play with the free kick.
64:22 The offside flag is raised against Daniel Bogdanovic. Adam Federici takes the free kick.
64:07 Shane Long gives away a free kick for an unfair challenge on Darren Moore. Darren Moore restarts play with the free kick.
61:30 Jobi McAnuff takes a shot from inside the six-yard box that strikes the post.
60:01 Luke Steele takes the direct free kick.
60:01 Booking The referee shows Brynjar Gunnarsson a yellow card for unsporting behaviour.
59:24 Unfair challenge on Hugo Colace by Brynjar Gunnarsson results in a free kick.
58:34 Ryan Bertrand gives away a free kick for an unfair challenge on Anderson De Silva. Free kick crossed right-footed by Nathan
Doyle, Gylfi Sigurdsson manages to make a clearance.
57:55 Shot by Simon Church. Save by Luke Steele.
56:48 Free kick awarded for a foul by Ivar Ingimarsson on Iain Hume. Free kick crossed right-footed by Nathan Doyle, clearance by
Jem Karacan.
54:30 Unfair challenge on Iain Hume by Matthew Mills results in a free kick. Iain Hume has a direct shot on goal from the free kick.
51:52 Inswinging corner taken right-footed by Gylfi Sigurdsson, clearance by Stephen Foster.
51:21 Hugo Colace takes a shot from just inside the penalty box which clears the crossbar.
49:54 Brynjar Gunnarsson challenges Anderson De Silva unfairly and gives away a free kick. Stephen Foster takes the direct free
kick.
49:27 Foul by Daniel Bogdanovic on Andy Griffin, free kick awarded. Direct free kick taken by Adam Federici.
48:20 Free kick awarded for a foul by Shane Long on Ryan Shotton. Luke Steele restarts play with the free kick.
45:46 Anderson De Silva challenges Brynjar Gunnarsson unfairly and gives away a free kick. Free kick taken by Adam Federici.
45:01 The second half has started.
45:01 Substitution Daniel Bogdanovic comes on in place of Jonathan Macken.
Half Time
45:00+2:08 The referee calls an end to the first half.
44:59 The referee blows for offside. Ryan Shotton takes the free kick.
43:32 Jonathan Macken challenges Brynjar Gunnarsson unfairly and gives away a free kick. Direct free kick taken by Ivar Ingimarsson.
43:03 Effort on goal by Gylfi Sigurdsson from outside the box goes harmlessly over the bar.
Correction - 41:20 Free kick awarded for a foul by Shane Long on Anderson De Silva. Ryan Shotton restarts play with the free kick.
41:20 Unfair challenge on Anderson De Silva by Shane Long results in a free kick. Ryan Shotton restarts play with the free kick.
40:05 Iain Hume concedes a free kick for a foul on Brynjar Gunnarsson. Free kick taken by Matthew Mills.
Correction - 38:20 Jem Karacan has an effort from just inside the box that misses to the left of the target.
38:20 Jem Karacan produces a left-footed shot from the edge of the area and misses to the left of the goal.
37:52 Unfair challenge on Hugo Colace by Brynjar Gunnarsson results in a free kick. Hugo Colace takes the direct free kick.
33:19 Shane Long gives away a free kick for an unfair challenge on Ryan Shotton. Luke Steele takes the direct free kick.
32:36 Adam Hammill has an effort at goal from outside the box which goes wide right of the target.
28:48 Assist by Gylfi Sigurdsson.
28:48 GOAL - Shane Long:Reading 1 - 0 Barnsley Shane Long scores a goal from close in to the bottom right corner of the goal. Reading 1-0 Barnsley.
27:19 Foul by Ryan Shotton on Gylfi Sigurdsson, free kick awarded. Ryan Bertrand takes the free kick.
24:33 Jonathan Macken has an effort at goal from just inside the box that misses to the right of the target.
21:48 Corner taken right-footed by Gylfi Sigurdsson to the near post, clearance by Stephen Foster.
21:27 Centre by Adam Hammill, Ryan Bertrand manages to make a clearance.
18:19 Shane Long takes a shot. Save by Luke Steele.
17:14 Outswinging corner taken by Iain Hume from the right by-line played to the near post.
16:55 The ball is crossed by Adam Hammill.
15:04 Simon Church is flagged offside by the assistant referee. Luke Steele takes the free kick.
14:52 Adam Hammill concedes a free kick for a foul on Andy Griffin. Jem Karacan takes the free kick.
13:49 Shot from just outside the area by Ryan Bertrand goes over the bar.
12:43 Free kick awarded for a foul by Jonathan Macken on Andy Griffin. Jem Karacan crosses the ball in from the free kick, clearance
made by Hugo Colace.
11:36 Corner from the left by-line taken by Gylfi Sigurdsson, clearance by Adam Hammill.
9:25 Adam Hammill challenges Andy Griffin unfairly and gives away a free kick. Matthew Mills restarts play with the free kick.
7:55 Shot from just outside the area by Simon Church misses to the right of the target.
6:11 Free kick awarded for an unfair challenge on Matthew Mills by Iain Hume. Free kick taken by Adam Federici.
3:39 Inswinging corner taken left-footed by Ryan Bertrand from the right by-line to the near post, Headed effort from close range
by Ivar Ingimarsson goes wide left of the goal.
0:58 Free kick awarded for a foul by Darren Moore on Ivar Ingimarsson. Adam Federici takes the direct free kick.
0:00 The referee gets the game started.
Live text and data provided by The Press Association.
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