Warnock’s scrappers make point
CARDIFF stay second in the Championship after snatching a late equaliser.
Reading looked to be on their way to victory after Modou Barrow buried their second goal before the break after an own-goal from Callum Paterson had put them on their way.
But Cardiff fought back through a Joe Bennett strike before Lee Tomlin levelled matters in the first minute of added time with his first goal for the club.
That improved the temper of Cardiff boss Neil Warnock, below, who was sent to the stands after one blast of dissent too many.
It was Callum Paterson’s early long throw that proved a warning sign to Reading’s defence.
The visitors went close again as Nathaniel Mendez-Laing burst down the left and saw his shot saved by Vito Mannone.
But Reading were effective themselves going forward and Cardiff captain Sean Morrison was left redfaced when he nearly deflected Chris Gunter’s into his own net.
But from the resulting Liam Kelly corner in the 16th minute, Paterson was not so lucky as he glanced the ball past his own keeper to hand Reading the lead. The Royals should have extended their advantage not long afterwards but Yann Kermorgant headed wide from Sone Aluko’s centre.
Cardiff looked rattled and Reading were playing with a confidence and swagger seldom seen since their run to last season’s Championship play-off final where they lost on penalties to Huddersfield.
Cardiff eventually responded with Junior Hoilett heading over from a Loic Damour cross. They were forced to take Morrison off after just 33 minutes with Lee Peltier coming on in his place.
Reading put themselves in a commanding position four minutes before the break as Barrow’s shot from the edge of the area took a deflection off Bennett and found the net after Cardiff had failed to clear a Liam Kelly corner.
It was the former Swansea winger’s sixth Reading goal and his third in the last two matches following his brace at Sunderland last week.
Reading started the second half in the mood for a third goal as Aluko shot just over the bar, before Neil Etheridge saved well to deny Dave Edwards after making a hash of a back-pass.
But it was the visitors who refused to take a golden chance as Hoilett failed to make proper connection on a MendezLaing cross and the ball went just over the bar. It looked as though it would not be Cardiff ’s evening as Bennett blazed over and moments later Warnock was sent to the stands as referee Steve Martin lost patience with him.
But Bennett set up a gripping finish as he volleyed home in the area seven minutes from time and Tomlin pounced in the dying seconds to give Cardiff a point.