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Ryan Hedges’ goal gave Blackburn their 19th league win of the season
A late winner from Ryan Hedges gave promotion-chasing Blackburn a vital victory over Reading in the Championship.
It looked set to be a routine win once Ben Brereton Diaz’s 13th goal of the campaign gave Rovers a second-minute lead and they created countless chances but found goalkeeper Joe Lumley in inspired form.
They paid for that profligacy when Cesare Casadei struck his first senior goal in the 68th minute.
However, the Royals could not cope with the Blackburn pressure and Hedges’ smart finish eight minutes from time secured a fourth successive home win and crucial points in the race for the top six.
Reading’s fourth successive defeat was compounded when Mamadou Loum was sent off for headbutting Sam Gallagher.
It took less than two minutes for Reading’s porous defence to be breached as Rovers broke from a Royals corner and Sorba Thomas’ cross was deflected into the path of Brereton Diaz who steadied himself before stroking a pinpoint shot effortlessly into the bottom right corner from just outside the area.
Reading continued to look vulnerable and Lumley parried a Thomas effort before his 35th-minute cross was headed over by Gallagher.
Casadei almost produced an equaliser when his long-range piledriver swirled in the air and forced Aynsley Pears into an improvised parry away.
Lumley’s blushes were spared five minutes before the break when his clearance struck Sammie Szmodics but the ball struck the post before the fortunate keeper gathered.
Joe Rankin-Costello volleyed over from inside the area just before the break as Rovers hunted that killer second.
Brereton Diaz went close to getting it just after the interval when he controlled a Rankin-Costello shot and let fly from close range, but Amadou Mbengue produced a stunning goal-saving block.
Thomas saw a shot parried by Lumley before Brereton Diaz chested down for Gallagher, whose shot from 12 yards out deflected agonisingly over.
A frantic few minutes midway through the half saw Lumley make a stunning double save, denying Brereton Diaz from close range and reacting to block a Thomas follow-up.
The Royals then went up the other end and Mbengue crossed for Shane Long, whose far post header was brilliantly palmed away by Pears.
Reading did end their 2023 away goal drought in the 68th minute when Lucas Joao and Casadei combined for the latter to lash home a stunning equaliser from 25 yards.
Rovers responded, though, and sent the home fans into raptures in the 82nd minute when Hedges ran on to Gallagher’s backheel to brilliantly place his winner into the bottom corner.
Loum saw red three minutes later for needlessly headbutting Gallagher and any hopes of a Reading equaliser went with him.
Match report supplied by PA Media.
- Line-upsMatch StatsLive Text
Line-upsBlackburn
Formation 4-2-3-1
13Pears11Rankin-Costello17Carter5Hyam3Pickering27Travis6Morton14Thomas8Szmodics22Brereton9Gallagher
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- 13Pears11Rankin-Costello
Booked at 28mins
-
- 17Carter5Hyam3Pickering27Travis6Morton14ThomasSubstituted forHedgesat 69’minutes8Szmodics22BreretonSubstituted forDolanat 69’minutes9Gallagher
Booked at 85mins
Substitutes
- 2Brittain10Dolan16Wharton19Hedges30Garrett34Hilton36Wharton
Reading
Formation 4-2-3-1
1Lumley27Mbengue3Holmes24Sarr5McIntyre22Loum20Casadei10Ince8Hendrick7Long9Lucas João
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- 1Lumley
Booked at 85mins
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- 27MbengueSubstituted forAbrefaat 78’minutes3Holmes24Sarr5McIntyre22Loum
Booked at 85mins
-
- 20Casadei10Ince8Hendrick7LongSubstituted forAzeezat 78’minutes9Lucas JoãoSubstituted forEhibhatiomhanat 78’minutes
Booked at 89mins
Substitutes
- 15Azeez18Guinness-Walker21Bouzanis26Moore30Abrefa32Abbey35Ehibhatiomhan
Referee:Darren BondAttendance:14,023Match StatsHome TeamBlackburnAway TeamReadingPossessionHome53%Away47%ShotsHome12Away9Shots on TargetHome6Away4CornersHome6Away4FoulsHome7Away7Live Text Post update
Match ends, Blackburn Rovers 2, Reading 1.
90’+6’Full Time
Second Half ends, Blackburn Rovers 2, Reading 1.
90’+5’Post update
Attempt missed. Thomas Holmes (Reading) header from the centre of the box misses to the right. Assisted by Femi Azeez with a cross following a corner.
90’+4’Post update
Corner, Reading. Conceded by Ryan Hedges.
90’Post update
Foul by Ryan Hedges (Blackburn Rovers).
90’Post update
Cesare Casadei (Reading) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
89’Booking
Kelvin Ehibhatiomhan (Reading) is shown the yellow card for a bad foul.
89’Post update
Lewis Travis (Blackburn Rovers) wins a free kick in the attacking half.
89’Post update
Foul by Kelvin Ehibhatiomhan (Reading).
88’Post update
Offside, Reading. Cesare Casadei tries a through ball, but Tom Ince is caught offside.
85’Booking
Sam Gallagher (Blackburn Rovers) is shown the yellow card.
85’Booking
Joe Lumley (Reading) is shown the yellow card.
85’Dismissal
Mamadou Loum (Reading) is shown the red card for violent conduct.
84’Post update
Foul by Sam Gallagher (Blackburn Rovers).
84’Post update
Mamadou Loum (Reading) wins a free kick on the right wing.
84’Post update
Tyrhys Dolan (Blackburn Rovers) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
84’Post update
Foul by Kelvin Abrefa (Reading).
82’goalGoal!
Goal! Blackburn Rovers 2, Reading 1. Ryan Hedges (Blackburn Rovers) left footed shot from the centre of the box to the centre of the goal. Assisted by Sam Gallagher with a through ball.
78’Substitution
Substitution, Reading. Kelvin Ehibhatiomhan replaces Lucas João.
78’Substitution
Substitution, Reading. Kelvin Abrefa replaces Amadou Salif Mbengue because of an injury.
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Source: bbc.com