Winning return for Royals...
Paul Ince's side continued their fine run of form on home soil this season with a hard fought 1-0 win over Coventry City, with Amadou Mbengue's header earning a seventh league win in RG2!
The Royals won the first corner of the match when Junior Hoilett, back from World Cup duty, had his cross cut out by Jonathan Panzo, with the defender also rising highest to head away Tom Ince’s set piece.
The visitors first attack saw Gustavo Hamer try to play in Callum O’Hare but Royals ‘keeper Joe Lumley saw it out for a goal kick.
Yakou Meite then won the ball off Panzo and found Hoilett who set up Ince for a shot from distance but his effort flew comfortably over Sky Blues’ ‘keeper Ben Wilson’s crossbar.
Amadou Mbengue was on hand to intercept Josh Eccles’ low cross but Hamer’s corner could only be headed wide by Jake Bidwell.
Bidwell received the ball out wide and picked out O’Hare on the edge of the box but despite laying the ball off to Ben Sheaf, the midfielder’s effort went safely over Lumley’s bar.
It was then Tyrese Fornah’s turn to try a shot from distance, but his effort was blocked by the onrushing Michael Rose, with the ball rebounding to Hoilett but his cross was cut out by Wilson.
O’Hare then called Lumley into action when the tricky midfielder worked some space on the edge of the box and fired a shot across goal that Lumley did well to palm away.
Sheaf then played in Hamer, who turned his man, but his shot could only find the advertising hoardings with both defences limiting each other to half chances.
Meite charged towards the box but was brought down by Josh Eccles, who received the first booking of the match, with Ince’s free kick clipping the top of the wall and going for a corner.
The hosts tried another ball into the box, but Michael Rose headed away Ince’s ball before Wilson claimed Baba Rahman’s cross at the second time of asking.
The Sky Blues were awarded a free kick, just off centre, but Hamer’s low effort curled just wide of Lumley’s left-hand post.
Meite thought he had broken the deadlock in the first of six added minutes but despite flicking Ince’s cross goal-bound, Wilson did well to tip the ball round the post.
Viktor Gyokeres tried to break the deadlock in the fourth minute of injury time, after Jeff Hendrick was adjudged to have brought down O’Hare, but the Sweden international fired his free kick into the wall.
Half time: Reading 0-0 Coventry City
The Sky Blues had the first attack of the half, with Hoilett blocking Bidwell’s cross for a corner, with Rose meeting the resulting corner with his head but the ball cannoned off the post.
Lumley had to react to prevent an own goal minutes later when Ince diverted the ball towards his own net before the Royals’ No.1 got down low to hold an O’Hare effort.
The hosts won a corner of their own when skipper Andy Yiadom’s cross was put behind by Panzo.
And from the corner substitute Tom McIntyre headed Ince’s ball towards goal for Mbengue to flick it past Wilson onto the bar and over the line to open the scoring with his first Royals goal!
O’Hare hoped to get the visitors back level but his strike along the ground rolled past Lumley’s far post before Lumley denied Sheaf with a strong hand.
Goalscorer Mbengue then brought the ball away after some sustained pressure from the visitors and won a free kick deep in the Sky Blues’ half, with Ince’s ball picking out substitute Shane Long at the back post but his cross couldn’t find a Royals shirt.
Lumley continued to win his battle with Hamer, with the midfielder’s free kick from the right punched away, with Eccles on the follow up unable to keep his shot down.
The hosts won a free kick when Long was tripped with Ince’s effort headed away into the path of Hoilett, but Wilson dealt with the Canadian international’s strike on the half volley.
The visitors kept up the pressure as they looked for an equaliser but the Royals backline, helped by the return of Naby Sarr off the bench, held firm to secure the points!
Full time: Reading 1-0 Coventry City
Reading: Lumley, Hoilett, Yiadom (C), Holmes (McIntyre 14’), Mbengue, Baba (Sarr 76’), Hendrick, Fornah (Loum (67’), Ince, Meite (Joao 76’), Carroll (Long 67’).
Unused subs: Bouzanis, Guinness-Walker.
Yellow Cards: Hendrick (45+3’), Mbengue (90’).
Scorers: Mbengue (57’).
Coventry City: Wilson, Panzo, Doyle, Rose, Allen (C) (Kane 84’), O'Hare (Waghorn 84’), Sheaf (Palmer 76’), Gyokeres, Bidwell (Burroughs 77’), Eccles, Hamer.
Unused Subs: Moore, Kelly, Tavares.
Yellow Cards: Doyle (29’), Allen (63’).
Attendance: 15,213 (2004 away)