Harper earns Reading big win

A last minute goal from James Harper earned Reading a well deserved 1-0 victory over Middlesbrough at the Riverside on Saturday to help keep Reading afloat despite remaining in the relegation zone.

Though they left it late, Reading should actually have taken a sixth-minute lead when Shane Long headed over from close range following a cross from John Oster.

Hunt then volleyed over as Steve Coppell's men found their Riverside rhythm.

A left-foot effort by Stewart Downing brought Marcus Hahnemann into belated action at the other end after 23 minutes.

But there was precious little else to rouse the crowd on Teesside and a spate of bookings in the run up to the break - for Liam Rosenior and Andre Bikey of Reading and David Wheater and George Boateng of Middlesbrough likewise failed to inflame passions.

Dave Kitson, on for Oster, saw Schwarzer smother a snapshot just after the hour mark before Downing and Boro colleague Jonathan Grounds and Reading pair Nicky Storey and Hunt became the latest participants to see yellow as referee Howard Webb fished into his top pocket eight times.

Up stepped James Harper in the last minute to wrap up the points.