Town midfielder Jay Tabb’s first goal at his old home ground the Madejski Stadium and what looks to be an own goal by Tyrone Mings sees the Blues and Reading drawing 1-1 at the break.
Mings came in for his second senior start with Aaron Cresswell — who played every minute of last season - ruled out with a thigh injury. Skipper Carlos Edwards, who spent pre-season away with Trinidad and Tobago, replaced Paul Anderson, who drops to the bench.
Cole Skuse made his Town debut, while ex-Royal Tabb, Daryl Murphy and David McGoldrick made their first appearances since joining the Blues on a permanent basis.
Former Real Madrid man Royston Drenthe whipped over a couple of early crosses for the home side, one too deep and one which Tommy Smith cleared. At the other end, former Blues loan keeper Alex McCarthy dealt with an Elliott Hewitt long thrown confidently.
The Royals enjoyed most of the possession in an opening quarter of an hour bereft of chances. Town came close to eking out an opportunity in the 14th minute when Luke Hyam found McGoldrick, who cut the ball back to Tabb, but the ball was stabbed away from the ex-Royal.
However, two minutes later Tabb, who joined the Blues from Reading this summer did get his name on the scoresheet.
The midfielder’s volley from Edwards’s deep cross from the right was stopped by McCarthy, McGoldrick getting to the loose ball first. The former Forest man could only stab it on to Murphy, who laid it back to Tabb and he slammed home from 10 yards for his second Town goal, two more than in his entire spell at the Madejski Stadium.
The home side started to show a few nerves after going behind, giving the ball away needlessly with McGoldrick and Tabb both failing to make the most of opportunities to create decent chances as the game moved towards the half hour mark.
On 31 Reading midfielder Jem Karacan was lucky to get away with a yellow card from referee David Coote after a two-footed lunge on Blues skipper Edwards in the centre circle. Moments later, Tyrone Mings — who earlier had undergone lengthy treatment for a knee injury - joined him in the book for a tackle on Chris Gunter, although he appeared to win the ball.
The Royals began to threaten more as the half moved into its final 10 minutes, Luke Chambers doing well to cut out Gunter’s cross from the right ahead of Adam Le Fondre after the right-back had been found by an excellent Danny Guthrie pass from deep.
It had been a half of few chances, but on 38 Murphy wasn’t able to threaten McCarthy when nodding on a Smith header. Soon after, the Irishman had another opportunity but after seizing on a loose ball couldn’t turn the ball past the advancing keeper while under pressure.
The Royals got back on terms with seconds of normal time remaining. A corner was cleared to Garath McCleary on the left and the ex-Forest man sent in a cross which Mings appeared to head back across his own keeper as he challenged, along with Skuse and Le Fondre, who received rather embarrassed congratulations from his team-mates.
There was just time for Loach to save McCleary’s low shot and Murphy to hit a weak effort through to McCarthy before referee Coote blew the whistle.
Town had been well worth the 1-0 lead they held until moments before the whistle. They had frustrated the home side and had carved out a number of opportunities, most notably Tabb’s opening goal.
Manager Mick McCarthy will be disappointed with the manner of the Reading goal, McCleary having been allowed to get his cross in too easily, although Mings — who appeared to have got the final touch after much half-time debate of the footage - was unfortunate to put the ball past his keeper as he looked to clear.
Reading: McCarthy, Gunter, Karacan, Pearce, Le Fondre, Drenthe, McCleary, Morrison, Bridge, Robson-Kanu, Guthrie. Unused: Federici, Kelly, Pogrebnyak, McAnuff, Gorkks, Williams, Obita.
Town: Loach, Hewitt, Chambers, Smith, Mings, Edwards, Skuse, Hyam, Tabb, Murphy, McGoldrick. Unused: Gerken, Berra, Veseli, Tunnicliffe, Anderson, Taylor, Nouble. Referee: David Coote (Nottinghamshire).