Apart from a stunning second half goal scored by Lewis Wing, two significant moments stood out for me on a night of some excellent individual performances by this young Reading side. Finding himself the wrong side of his winger, Andre Garcia raced back, dispossessed the Wrexham forward and dribbled up field to initiate a counter-attack. Late in the game, after running unselfishly all evening, Jayden Wareham accelerated past a Wrexham defender to reach a loose ball to comfortably beat his opponent to the ball as it rolled back towards his own half. Those two moments epitomises the commitment and spirit of this squad that has gradually grown in confidence and maturity as the season has progressed.

Wrexham, with a squad bolstered by the cash of their wealthy owners, and on track for back-to-back promotion into the Championship, were made look ordinary by a Reading side playing some bright attractive football. There were moments of real quality in possession. In tight situations Reading's sharp passing, excellent touch and movement enabled them to come away with the ball. They imposed themselves on the game and dominated possession until a ridiculous decision by the referee Duckworth to show Stickland a second yellow card after seventy-five minutes reduced them to ten men.

After dominating the first half but creating few chances Reading went ahead after fifty-one minutes when the ever-reliable Knibbs sent Okonkwo from the penalty awarded when Wareham was clattered making a positive run into the box. Four minutes later Reading doubled their lead with a superb goal. Garcia drifted in field and his passing and movement played a key role in creating the goal which ended with Knibbs sliding a ball across the edge of the box which Wareham wisely allowed to run on for Wing to drill the ball low inside the upright giving Onkonkwo no chance. The home fans were really enjoying watching their team rip their opponents apart.

To say Wing and Knibbs were outstanding, in no way implies Reading were dependent on their most experienced players. Garcia and Arbrefa played a significant role defensively and offensively and rarely played a stray pass or made the wrong decision in possession. Another long-term injury to the energetic Mbengue handed twenty-one-year-old Michael Stickland his second first team appearance. Stickland always looked comfortable in possession and dovetailed nicely with Bindon in the middle of the back four. His sending off was unfortunate to say the least.

His first yellow card was awarded deservedly for mistimed, rather than malicious challenge, but his second came from a referee with clearly a very poor understanding of the game. Reading were awarded a free kick deep in their own half, but as Stickland shaped to take the kick Pereira, already in the book for time-wasting, waved the young centre back forward and ran forward to take the kick. It is the sort of situation, had it occurred under most circumstances would not have even warranted a warning. If you are a youngster making your second appearance, and an experienced goalkeeper tells you to push up, you push up! This referee clearly has a limited understand of players behaviour in that situation.

With a two-goal lead to defend, Noel Hunt brought on the 'old guard' of Dean and Yiadom to shore up the defence. In the last fifteen minutes plus a remarkable ten minutes of stoppage time there were some goalmouth scrambles, as Wrexham, displaying a remarkable lack of guile, pounded the Reading defence with a stream of crosses, but Reading hung on for a memorable and well- deserved three points.

Reading moved a little closer to the top six with a continuation of their unbeaten spell now stands at nine matches in a run of games which looked somewhat daunting at the beginning of February.

John Wells