Royals Go Third With Fourth Consecutive Away Win

26 September 2015
By Hob Nob Anyone?

Reading's resurgence continued at Burnley this afternoon as a 2-1 victory saw the Royals leap-frog the home side into third place in the Championship. Reading's new position is the highest we've been in the football pyramid since our relegation from the Premier League at the end of the 2012/2013 season. It may be very early in the season to be looking at the table seriously, but Reading's climb up the table appears to be on solid foundations, with a deep and talented squad.

Reading were without key players for the trip to Turf Moor. Vydra and Quinn were ruled out with minor injuries. Add to that missing list the suspended Orlando Sa and the injured Anton Ferdinand, and it can be argued that Reading won away at one of the Championship's better sides without a first choice squad. This was an impressive away victory and our fourth consecutive away win in all competitions.

The absence of Quinn allowed Piazon to step into the side for a start. With Vydra side-lined, Hal Robson-Kanu was back into the starting eleven for a league fixture and also completed a rare full ninety minutes for the Royals. Of course, no player sums up Reading's change in fortunes, and change from bland uninteresting performances to displays of excitement and promise, more than Nick Blackman. Blackman is the surprise package in not only Reading's season so far, but perhaps the entire Championship. He extended his run of form after just five minutes when he banged in his sixth league goal, and eighth goal of the season in league and cup, to put Reading on their way.

Blackman's goal was the result of the kind of fast tidy passing football we're started to see from Reading this season. Reading put together four or five positive forward passes, were slightly lucky when Burnley failed to clear the ball and then saw Robson-Kanu justify his selection with a lovely touch to set Blackman up for the goal. Blackman was just inside the area and fired the ball across goal and into the far bottom corner. Reading built on their superb start by doubling their lead with only nine minutes played. This time Chris Gunter earned the assist after more impressive build up with a low cross from the right that allowed Piazon to score his first Reading goal from deep inside the Burnley area.

Reading's goalkeepers have suffered recent criticism recently but Bond showed some safe hands to hold a reasonable Burnley effort and retain Reading's lead at the break. However, Burnley appeared to have a late change to salvage a point in the second half when a long high cross was met at the far post and put in between Bond and the post on 67 minutes. Both sides then had chances to increase their score with both goalkeepers relying on the last man on the line to prevent efforts down each end. Reading then held on without major problems for another deserved three points that sets up the season up very nicely.

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