If winning without playing well is the mark of champions, Reading can start planning for trips to Manchester United and Arsenal next season after surviving a Brighton onslaught to take a giant stride towards a Premier League return.
Ian Harte’s deflected 14th-minute free-kick goal was enough to earn Brian McDermott’s second-placed side their 13th win in 15 games and open up a six-point gap on the rest of the promotion chasers with only four fixture remaining.
It took a majestic display from goalkeeper Adam Federici, including a second-half penalty save, to keep Gus Poyet’s vibrant team at bay.
Brighton needed a victory to move back into the top six while Reading knew a win would leave them within touching distance of promotion after watching West Ham squander more precious home points against Birmingham 24 hours earlier.
How Poyet’s side found themselves behind at half-time was a mystery to most after outplaying their visitors during an opening period which was dominated by two old-stagers.
Brighton’s Spanish playmaker, Vicente, and Reading full-back Harte, had last shared a pitch almost 11 years ago, playing for Valencia and Leeds respectively in a Champions League semi-final.
Vicente would have had a goal and an assist to his name inside the opening 10 minutes but for the excellent Federici, by far the busier of the two goalkeepers before the interval.
After only three minutes the former European Cup winner’s free-kick found Ashley Barnes lurking at the far post and Federici did well to smother the striker’s side-foot shot.
Moments later Barnes dragged a shot wide from Will Buckley’s powerful run and cross before Federici was sent sprawling across his goal to push wide Vicente’s long-range effort.
Reading took the lead against the run of play, and with more than a hint of fortune, after Noel Hunt was felled on the edge of the penalty area and Harte’s 22-yard free-kick took a huge deflection off the Brighton wall before nestling in the bottom left corner of Peter Brezovan’s net.
Federici produced another fine save to tip over a fierce Gary Dicker drive in the 16th minute.
The Australian was rescued by the woodwork eight minutes before half-time as Vicente hammered a close-range shot against the crossbar following a defence-splitting exchange with Barnes.
If Brighton miss out on a play-off place they may look back at the 51st minute of this match as the moment their dreams of a second successive promotion slipped away.
Barnes posed a constant threat to the Reading defence and was gifted the penalty opportunity to equalise after being pushed over in the box by Alex Pearce. But his weak spot kick was saved by Federici.
Federici found himself at full stretch once more in the 58th minute, to keep out Craig Mackail-Smith’s swivelling shot after Barnes had cut the ball back for his strike partner.
Reading continued to find themselves on the back foot and Brighton substitute Kazenga LuaLua almost made himself an instant hero with a curling shot, which was deflected behind by a brave Pearce block.
Gordon Greer should have done better from the corner on finding himself unmarked, but his tame header went wide.
Reading were restricted to trying to hit Brighton on the counter and almost eased their jitters with a second goal when Pearce headed against the crossbar in the dying minutes.
Ian Harte’s deflected 14th-minute free-kick goal was enough to earn Brian McDermott’s second-placed side their 13th win in 15 games and open up a six-point gap on the rest of the promotion chasers with only four fixture remaining.
It took a majestic display from goalkeeper Adam Federici, including a second-half penalty save, to keep Gus Poyet’s vibrant team at bay.
Brighton needed a victory to move back into the top six while Reading knew a win would leave them within touching distance of promotion after watching West Ham squander more precious home points against Birmingham 24 hours earlier.
How Poyet’s side found themselves behind at half-time was a mystery to most after outplaying their visitors during an opening period which was dominated by two old-stagers.
Brighton’s Spanish playmaker, Vicente, and Reading full-back Harte, had last shared a pitch almost 11 years ago, playing for Valencia and Leeds respectively in a Champions League semi-final.
Vicente would have had a goal and an assist to his name inside the opening 10 minutes but for the excellent Federici, by far the busier of the two goalkeepers before the interval.
After only three minutes the former European Cup winner’s free-kick found Ashley Barnes lurking at the far post and Federici did well to smother the striker’s side-foot shot.
Moments later Barnes dragged a shot wide from Will Buckley’s powerful run and cross before Federici was sent sprawling across his goal to push wide Vicente’s long-range effort.
Reading took the lead against the run of play, and with more than a hint of fortune, after Noel Hunt was felled on the edge of the penalty area and Harte’s 22-yard free-kick took a huge deflection off the Brighton wall before nestling in the bottom left corner of Peter Brezovan’s net.
Federici produced another fine save to tip over a fierce Gary Dicker drive in the 16th minute.
The Australian was rescued by the woodwork eight minutes before half-time as Vicente hammered a close-range shot against the crossbar following a defence-splitting exchange with Barnes.
If Brighton miss out on a play-off place they may look back at the 51st minute of this match as the moment their dreams of a second successive promotion slipped away.
Barnes posed a constant threat to the Reading defence and was gifted the penalty opportunity to equalise after being pushed over in the box by Alex Pearce. But his weak spot kick was saved by Federici.
Federici found himself at full stretch once more in the 58th minute, to keep out Craig Mackail-Smith’s swivelling shot after Barnes had cut the ball back for his strike partner.
Reading continued to find themselves on the back foot and Brighton substitute Kazenga LuaLua almost made himself an instant hero with a curling shot, which was deflected behind by a brave Pearce block.
Gordon Greer should have done better from the corner on finding himself unmarked, but his tame header went wide.
Reading were restricted to trying to hit Brighton on the counter and almost eased their jitters with a second goal when Pearce headed against the crossbar in the dying minutes.
