Town's 100% home record came to an end as they were held 1-1 by Reading in Joe Royle's 1,000th match as a manager. The Blues went in front on 10 through Shefki Kuqi but Dave Kitson hit back for the Royals, however, Town had plenty of second half chances to take all three points.

As expected the Blues left out Pablo Couñago and Tony Dinning, while Fabian Wilnis is suspended for three matches after his weekend red card. Shefki Kuqi, Ian Westlake and Matt Richards were handed starts. Jerrome Sobers was on the bench for the first time in a league game.

Town went ahead with their first chance of the game. Kuqi charged after a Kevin Horlock diagonal ball which swirled in the wind causing Ivar Ingimarsson to make a misjudgement, the Finnish international slipping in between the defender and keeper Marcus Hahnemann before finishing superbly from a tight angle.

Reading almost hit back on 18, when a corner from their right hit Horlock and Kuqi before falling to Andy Hughes. The winger's shot flew across the face of goal and fortunately for Town wide.

On 22 Jason De Vos went off to have stitches to a wound just above his eye, Drissa Diallo temporarily moving into the centre and Tommy Miller dropping to full-back.

Kuqi's early strike may have been out of the top drawer, however, an effort on 25 ended up in the top tier of the Greene King Stand. The striker had done well to seize on more hesitancy in the Royals' defence but his finish lacked the quality of his earlier effort.

Reading made the most of Town being down to 10-men in the 26th minute when they got back on terms. Richard Naylor failed to get his toe on a Nicky Forster through-ball and Dave Kitson ran on to beat Kelvin Davis before Drissa Diallo could get in a tackle. De Vos returned with some bandaging above his eye two minutes later.

Kuqi shot wide from a tight angle just before the half hour, after he had reacted first to Tommy Miller's blocked shot.

On 30 Steven Sidwell, who ought to have been shown a red card prior to scoring against the Blues in last season's corresponding fixture, picked up a yellow card for an elbow on Jim Magilton.

Soon after, Kuqi joined Sidwell in the referee's book, Mr Jones indicating that it was for a series of fouls.

Drissa Diallo played the ball down the right to Darren Bent in the 32nd minute, the England U21 crossing low into the box but Kuqi's and then Miller's shots were blocked.

Diallo pulled off an uncharacteristically clever turn on 39 before crossing in to Darren Bent whose shot looped to Hahnemann.

Hahnemann was at the centre of the action again two minutes before the break, saving Kuqi's header from Horlock's corner. From the second corner Darren Bent headed over the bar.

In injury time Sidwell's 25-yard freekick gave Davis little trouble despite taking a deflection.

It had been a fairly even and open first half, but at times scrappy, a heavy shower in the early stages making conditions slippery.

Town reserve keeper Lewis Price spent half time warming up and replaced Kelvin Davis for the second half, the former Luton and Wimbledon man suffering with a back problem, something which also caused him to miss games during pre-season.

Darren Bent won the ball after Reading's kick off. He took the ball wide to the right and crossed but Hahnemann was in ahead of Kuqi.

Five minutes into the half Jason De Vos rose well to head Jim Magilton's corner goalwards but Hahnemann tipped the ball over the bar. The resultant second corner fell to Kuqi inside the area but he snatched at his shot and what should have been a goal was easy for Hahnemann.

On 52 the former Sheffield Wednesday man, again at the heart of the action, turned and shot on the edge of the six-yard box, Hahnemann saving and Ingemarsson catching the Town striker late, but penalty appeals fell on deaf ears.

Town were well on top but a goal wouldn't come. Richard Naylor headed a Magilton corner over the bar before a superb Diallo through-ball played in Kuqi, but the frontman was too heavy with his first touch and Hahnemann claimed.

On 64 a Reading break saw Sidwell bring the ball forward unchallenged before unleashing a shot which flew wide of Price's left post.

Ian Westlake got in a cross from the left in the 73rd minute, Darren Bent getting a flick on it before Nicky Shorey inexplicably played the ball straight to Drissa Diallo who rushed and put the ball wide.

Westlake had a shot blocked before Diallo, putting in perhaps his finest display for the Blues, played the ball down the right for Darren Bent. The striker crossed but sub Ibrahima Sonko got in ahead of Kuqi to lash the ball over his own crossbar from six yards.

Sonko had a header saved by Price as the game entered its last 10 minutes, while at the other end Bent headed Richards's cross wide. Richards took a pot-shot from 25 yards with four minutes remaining but the ball went wide.

A minute from the end there was a scramble in the Town box, a cross coming in from the left and then the right and sub Bobby Convey's shot being blocked by Jason De Vos, the Canadian clearing the danger.

Jim Magilton's injury time freekick struck the wall and went over but the Blues couldn't create another chance from the corner.

Town will feel that two points have been dropped with chances galore not taken in a second half which they thoroughly dominated. The first period had been more even but Reading will feel slightly fortunate to be taking a point back to Berkshire.

Town: Davis (Price 46), Diallo, Richards, De Vos, Naylor, Magilton, Horlock, Miller, Wetlake, Bent, Kuqi. Att: 23,167.

Photo: Action Images

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