A controversial injury time penalty bolstered in-form Reading's playoff hopes after a dramatic 2-1 win over Leicester City at the Walkers Stadium.
The spot kick was awarded in the 92nd minute when Nolberto Solano was adjudged to have tripped Simon Church who was seemingly through on goal.
Gylfi Sigurdsson converted from twelve yards, as Reading snatched three valuable away points, meanwhile condemning Leicester City to a rare home defeat.
Brian McDermott’s men have now won nine of their last eleven games, leaving them only eight points off the playoffs, after a torrid start to the season.
The Royals started the game strongly, and took the lead after sixteen minutes when Sigurdsson’s through ball found Jimmy Kebe, who slid the ball past City goalkeeper Chris Weale for his ninth goal of the season.
Leicester were fortunate to be only 1-0 down moments later, when Kebe again troubled the home side with a shot that ricocheted off three players on the goal line and rolled agonisingly wide of the post.
However, despite some resolute Reading defending, Leicester went in at half time on level terms when Lloyd Dyer picked out Martyn Wahgorn with a fine cross, who headed the ball past goalkeeper Adam Federici to make it 1-1.
Things began to heat up ten minutes into the second half when Lloyd Dyer and Reading’s Andy Griffin appeared to kick out at each other in an off the ball incident, resulting in both players receiving a yellow card.
Dyer was unlucky not to put the home side ahead with twenty minutes to go, after his superb run from the touchline was let down by his shot, which hit the side netting.
Reading pushed for a winner in the last fifteen minutes of the game, and certainly created some good chances, with Chris Weale pulling off a stunning save to deny Ryan Bertrand's strike from 25 yards out.
However, Sigurdsson’s late penalty sealed the Foxes' fate, and snapped a run of nine home games without defeat, stretching back to December 2009.
Meanwhile, Reading now lie just three points behind seventh place Blackpool, with two games in hand on most other playoff hopefuls.
Man of the Match – Jimmy Kebe
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