Reading FC 1, Cardiff City 1: Royals stunned by last minute equaliserMore frustration for Reading as Conor McAlney's last gasp strikes rescues a point for the Bluebirds at Madejski Stadium
Reading saw a vital victory snatched from their grasps as Conor McAlney swept home a last minute equaliser for Cardiff at Madejski Stadium.
Steve Clarke’s side looked to have secured their third successive home win thanks to Pavel Pogrebnyak’s early goal, but the Bluebirds had other ideas.
And with the clock just about to tick into stoppage time McAlney rescued a dramatic and scarcely deserved point with a smart finish from just inside the box
The draw leaves Royals nine points above the Championship drop zone, with a game in hand.
A win at rock-bottom Blackpool on Tuesday will all but guarantee their Championship status but this was yet another opportunity missed for Clarke’s men.
They were by far the better side but saw several chances go begging after the interval which would have killed the game off.
And as has happened so many times this season they were made to pay by McAlney’s fine finish late on.
Clarke made two changes to the team that were beaten at Charlton before the international break, both of which were enforced.
New singing Nathan Ake made his debut, replacing the injured Nathaniel Chalobah while Hope Akpan came in for the suspended Danny Williams.
But despite the shake-up in central midfield, Royals started superbly and were in front within four minutes.
Jordan Obita linked up with Hal Robson-Kanu down the left and sent in a deep cross which found Garath McCleary unmarked at the back post. The winger header the ball back across goal for Pogrebnyak to stab home.
It was a fine finish from the Russian, his third goal in two games, and gave Reading a perfect foothold in the match.
They went on to dominate the remainder of the first half but despite controlling possession, they couldn’t find a second goal.
Alex Pearce looked certain to score as he closed in on a McCleary corner, but Michael Hector took the ball off his head just as he was about to connect with it.
Newly crowned player of the month Jamie Mackie then dragged a shot wide before a goalbound thunderbolt from McCleary floored Robson-Kanu having struck the Wales international fresh in the face.
The second half started as the first finished, with the hosts on top and McCleary wasted a fine chance to double the lead when he scuffed a shot wide.
But then slowly Cardiff began to assert themselves going forward and only a smart stop, diving to his right, by Federici prevented Craig Noone from equalising.
Jamie Mackie gets the better of Sean Morrison.
It was a wake up call for Royals and they responded well and should have killed the game off.
But new boy Kwesi Appiah, on for Mackie, was twice denied by David Marshall before Hector crashed a header against the bar from point blank range.
You got the sense that those misses could prove costly and that’s how it panned out as Cardiff snatched a point with just seconds remaining.
A smart move down the right ended with a low cross being fizzed in to McAlney who produced a fine first time finish from 15 yards to break Reading hearts.
Reading: Federici, Gunter, Pearce, Hector, Obita, Ake, Akpan, Robson-Kanu (Blackman, 85), McCleary (Norwood, 74), Pogrebnyak, Mackie (Appiah, 68).
Subs not used: Andersen, Knight, Karacan, Yakubu.
Cardiff: Marshall, Fabio, Peltier (Malone, 84), Ecuele Manga, Morrison, Ralls (Kennedy, 65), Noone, Whittingham, Gunnarsson, Doyle (Mason, 65), McAleny.
Subs not used: Moore, Gabbidon, O’Keefe, Adeyemi.
Attendance: 17,953.
