BARNSLEY 1 (Gray 12)
READING 3 (Pearce 30; Hunt 53 P, 55)

AN absolute shocker of a penalty decision rocked the Reds at Oakwell and Reading took full advantage to run out winners as the home side endured two nightmare minutes.

Reds boss Simon Davey made two changes to the side that beat Reading in midweek with Andy Gray replacing Kayode Odejayi in attack while Darren Moore returned at the expense of injured youngster Luke Potter. It was Gray's Oakwell debut while fellow new recruit O'Neil Thompson was named on the bench. Reading made a host of changes and were virtually unrecognisable from the side that lined up against Barnsley on Tuesday night.

There was a lightening start to the game with the Reds straight on the front foot. Emil Hallfredsson did well in the first minute to give Daniel Bogdanovic half a chance in the area but the striker's shot was well blocked away.

Rob Kozluk then caused problems for Reading just a minute later with a long throw from the right that the Royals struggled to clear. Jamal Campbell-Ryce volleyed a foot or so wide of the post as the ball dropped on the edge of the box.

Reading were again at sixes and sevens on eight minutes as Kozluk's deep free kick dropped in the area. Jon Macken lashed one into the crowd but the assistants' flag was up before Gray and Stephen Foster could pounce. Another long Kozluk throw had Reading struggling again on nine minutes and the ball eventually fell to Gray but Adam Federici was down quickly to make a fine save and deny the striker a goal.

Great play by Macken and Gray opened Reading wide open again seconds later but Bogdanovic could not get a decent touch on the ball on the six yard line. Barnsley were in front from Hugo Colace's corner as the ball flew across goal and Gray was in the right place at the right time to power a header past Federici and into the far corner.

It was almost two within a couple of minutes as Campbell-Ryce whipped a cross in from the right which Alex Pearce could only hack out. Colace met the ball purposefully but Pearce was in the right place to block the shot away.

Gray almost grabbed a second goal on 23 minutes as he charged down Federici's kick from Pearce's backpass. The ball smacked into Gray and bounced back but agonisingly a foot wide of the post.

Luke Steele finally had some work to do a minute later as he raced from his goal to smother the ball at the feet of Jimmy Kebe. Steele then could only watch on 28 minutes as Hal Robson-Kanu's cross deflected off Kozluk but dropped a foot or so over the bar.

Reading's first real attempt on goal came on 29 minutes when Gylfi Sigurdsson smashed a free kick from 30 yards that Steele did well to deal with. There was chaos in the Reds area moments later as Steele and Colace failed to deal with the corner and the ball dropped to Pearce, who smacked it into the top corner from ten yards out.

Kebe, who was sent off in the same fixture last season, should have been booked on 33 minutes after scything through Mounir El Haimour. Gunnarsson smacked one high over a minute later as the Reds suddenly looked nervous although they found their feet again on 35 minutes as Campbell-Ryce faced up the last defender down the right before driving goalward but he could not find a finish to match his strong running.

Another Sigurdsson corner caught in the wind and caught the Reds out on 36 minutes but Mills could only spoon his shot against a defender and through to Steele.

Reading should have been in front on 38 minutes as the impressive Sigurdsson sent Jem Karacan clean through on goal but the young Turks' finish was woeful when faced by Steele and shot well, well wide. Liam Rosenior then drilled a cross-come-shot in front of Steele on 39 minutes as Reading pushed on again.

Referee Michael Oliver caused controversy on 53 minutes when Gunnarsson's long ball dropped in the area. Steele came out and gathered the ball at the feet of Kebe, who's momentum carried him over. There was no appeal from Kebe or any Reading player yet referee Oliver shockingly gave a penalty. There was no booking for Steele and Hunt smashed the penalty into the roof of the net. It was an appalling decision.

Barnsley were still reeling from a shocking penalty decision and soon found themselves further behind when Kebe swung a fine cross in from the right just a minute later and Hunt was on hand to glance the ball home.

It could have been even worse for the Reds on the hour mark as Sigurdsson swung in a dangerous corner from the right and the Barnsley defence stood and watched as Pearce rose to head just over the bar.

It took a while but the Reds finally found some composure and began to claw Reading back. El Haimour did his best to tee up Gray on 63 minutes but the striker was denied a clear header on goal by Pearce. Barnsley were still ragged and were almost caught out at the back on 65 minutes when Sigurdsson let fly but Steele was quickly down to save.

It was just not going the Reds way at all and Steele's long kick on 70 minutes gave Macken a great chance in the area but Rosenior threw himself into a goal-saving challenge to block the striker's shot. It got even worse on 73 minutes as Kozluk's long free kick somehow evaded Gray, Macken and Iain Hume in the area before bouncing through to Federici.

Hume then won his side a free kick a minute later after tangling with Mills right on the edge of the box. Colace took it and was only a foot away from finding the top corner.

Michail Antonio almost had a fourth for Reading on 79 minutes as he raced towards a poor Darren Moore backpass but Steele was quickly out to clear the danger. Antonio then had Barnsley under pressure with a long throw moments later that Hunt did well to glance on but again Steele was able to gather.

BARNSLEY: Steele, Kozluk, El Haimour, Foster, Moore, Campbell-Ryce, Hallfredsson, Colace (Odejayi 81), Bogdanovic (Hume 66), Macken (Hammill 75), Gray.
Subs: Preece, Anderson, Devaney, Thompson.

READING: Federici, Rosenior, Mills, Gunnarsson, Hunt (Long 83), Kebe (Antonio 73), Robson-Kanu (Rasiak 66), Karacan, Bertrand, Sigurdsson, Pearce.
Subs: Cisse, Tabb, Kelly, Hamer.

Referee
Michael Oliver (Northumberland)
Assistant Referees
Rob Merchant (Staffordshire) and Dave Naylor (Nottinghamshire)
Fourth Official
Peter Wright (Merseyside)

Attendance - 11,116
Away Attendance - 386

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