Sam Smith scored a well-deserved first goal of the season with an excellent strike just before half time. Reading, as so often this season, were unable to hold on to their advantage for very long. Rovers levelled the scores twelve minutes into the second half. Both sides were given a helping hand in salvaging a point by a referee who turned down strong and justified claims for a penalty at either end in stoppage time. Although in a game littered with careless errors, neither could claim they deserved better.

With the Royals still firmly anchored to the bottom of the table, a point was really not good enough but at least it halted a run of five consecutive league defeats. There were some encouraging signs from this evening's match. Selles appears to be closer to identifying his strongest starting eleven, and there although there were few passages of flowing football, Reading kept their heads, discipline, and defensive shape. The back four, apart from a sloppy couple of passes at the beginning of the second half which should have cost them a goal, looked good in possession. Abbey's turn of pace and confidence on the ball took a lot of pressure of the team when under pressure.

Reading pressed effectively at times and the Rovers defence were in trouble on a couple of occasions playing out from the back. The Royals efforts were finally rewarded when Savage won the ball wide on the left (with what appeared to be a two-footed challenge!) and the ball ran loose to a Rovers defender. Knibbs was quick to put his foot in and push a nicely weighted ball to Smith who produced the perfect striker's goal. A quick look up, and with his first touch he hammered the ball inside the far post from a fairly acute angle. From the first minute Smith played like he really wanted to win, scrapping for every ball, an attitude reflected in his celebration in front of the Reading fans behind the goal. If Reading are going to stay up this season he will have crucial role to play, not just for his goals, but his leadership on the pitch.

A slick exchange of passes down the left culminated in a nice touch by Knibbs making room for a clear sight of goal, but his finish didn't do justice to the quality of the build-up and it was not a difficult save for Cox. Rovers had more than their fair share of possession in the first half but rarely threatened Reading's goal. Dorsett played well, if left a little isolated at times at left back, and Button had a couple of relatively routine saves to make. Reading deserved their halt time lead. The opening ten minutes of second half were chaotic to say the least. Sloppy play at the back almost gifted Rovers an equaliser. Azeez's poor run of form continued. He seems low on confidence and seemed unable to keep possession or find a team mate with a pass. He lost the ball on the half way line and with Yiadom caught out going forward Rovers broke free down the left and Martin finished well to level the score. Selles had seen enough and immediately replaced Azeez with Elliot. Reading recovered their composure and played their way back into the game.

Both managers made further changes which had little impact on the game. During stoppage time Rovers were incensed by a poor challenge in front of goal which denied them an almost certain winner and Reading had similar claims but not as convincing at the other end.

It is very early in the season to be talking about crucial games, but Reading's abysmal start to the season already leaves them seven points below the safety of twentieth spot in the table. For the sake of morale, and the points required to close the gap, Reading really need to win the next two fixtures against fellow strugglers Carlisle and Shrewsbury, also placed around the bottom of the table. John Wells