In the end a great night out and a deserved win. Less said about the first half the better. The teams cancelled each other out and Scunny had one really good chance while we managed a couple of tame shots. All very predictable as we pumped the ball in the air to the Beast and Shane who was having a half to forget.
So something had to change in the second half and for the first ten minutes we were on the defensive continuing to look lethargic. We needed a spark and at long last Leigertwood finally woke up, started winning the midfield battle and set up the goal. Kebe got down the right and crossed to Long who finished superbly in front of an ecstatic Reading crowd. Legs is so important to this team and once we scored he was his usual self dominating the midfield. Cracking penalty from Harte - no chance of the keeper saving that. Last half hour we called all the shots and played some nice football. I hope Karacan's injury is not serious as he will be a big loss. Apart from Long and Kebe I thought Kitz was excellent at the back -never really in any trouble and always seemed to have enough tine to find a decent pass.
UpNorth

Dreadful first half, just a real scrappy affair on a dodgy pitch. Mind you the pitch shouldn't have made much difference as the ball spent most of the time 50 foot up in the air! Start of the second half followed a similar pattern to the first half but all of a sudden we kicked into gear for 10 minutes and that was all that was needed. Well taken goal from Long running across the front post to neatly tuck away and a very well taken penalty from Harte.
Good turnout in fine voice, plenty of banter a good portion of which aimed at Joe Murphy in the Scunthorpe goal.
Not the prettiest of wins but we seem to have learnt every which way to get a result.
leicsRoyal

Yep - first half hoof ball mostly instigated by Mills which left the likes of Kebe chasing shadows or attempting to chase down a ball destined for a free kick. Scunthorpe were industrious enough in the first half to cause a few scares and opened us up nicely down the middle where we seemed to open it up for them, back off and invite the shots!!. Frustrating knowing this team were certainly good enough to hurt us. Clearly word is out concerning Manset as he was closed off, clattered and i could sense the frustration of the man clearing up and bossing the midfield. He felt someone had to take the game by the scruff of the neck as no-one else was. Second half - started much the same until it started opening up for us, we started playing football, passes were being completed and it was almost palpable that the team were growing in confidence. Despite the support from us all, we started to will the team forward, and finally - a nice snatched goal from Long from 2 yards out. Instant pandemonium from the supporters with Shane being surrounded by the happy mod down the front.
The penalty was nailed on. Shane clattered and looking like he was in agony until taken off and somehow fully recovered. :lol: Harte took that well, and though Murphy went the correct was to his left the ball was exquisitely placed tight to the upright. LOL at Murphy moaning at Shane afterwards and the taunting he received after. The result was justified, another three points and happy days.
RoyalExile

Reading consolidated their Championship play-off place and hurt Scunthorpe's hopes of staying up in the process with a seventh successive victory. Fresh from a 4-1 win over QPR, the Iron started impressively as Joe Garner and Chris Dagnall fired wide and then Alex McCarthy saved from Mark Duffy. Reading improved after the break and went ahead when Shane Long swept in Jimmy Kebe's cross from the right. Ian Harte's penalty wrapped it up after Michael Nelson fouled Long in the box. The victory leaves Reading, fifth in the division, only three points away from an automatic promotion place after a superb run under Brian McDermott.

Yet it could all have been so different as the hosts, buoyed by beating QPR and inspired by the impressive Garner in the opening stages, laid siege to the Royals' goal. Garner and Dagnall might both have done better with their efforts wide and Garner saw another shot deflected behind for a corner. Ramon Nunez also should have done better with his off-target strike from 10 yards. Long made Scunthorpe pay with his 26th goal of the campaign after Kebe had come to life and when Nelson fouled Long and Harte slotted in, the game was over. Dagnall and Nunez went close from distance for Scunthorpe, but Reading held on comfortably for the three points.
BBC Sport