Successive home draws dent play-off hopes

READING’S hopes of closing in on the League 1 play-off places took a knock this week after they drew back-to-back home matches, both 2-2.

Last Saturday Jack Marriott was the hero when he scored a late equaliser to secure a point against Barnsley. Earlier in the game Reading had taken the lead through debutant Haydon Roberts on 30 minutes. Barnsley equalised through David McGoldrick 10 minute later and took the lead 20 minutes from full time when an Adam Phillips’s strike deflected off Kelvin Ehibhatiomhan and beat Joel Pereira in the Reading goal.

On Tuesday the scoring was reversed with Exeter City taking the lead after 14 minutes through former Royal Pierce Sweeney. Will Keane netted his first Reading goal just before half-time before Paudi O’Connor put the hosts ahead on 75 minutes. However, Luca Woodhouse levelled in the third minute of stoppage time to deny Reading all three points.

Meanwhile, Reading completed their fourth January signing on Monday, snapping up defender Benn Ward from Accrington Stanley for an undisclosed fee. The 22-year-old, who signed a three-and-a-half-year deal, has made almost 50 appearances for Accrington since joining them from Burnley.

This Saturday Reading travel to Northampton Town, with an earlier kick-off time of 2pm.