CHARLIE IS MY DARLING SAYS BOWEN

VETERAN Charlie Adam rolled back the years with a midfield masterclass as Reading scored two beautifully crafted goals to inflict only a second home defeat on Preston.

The first was simplicity itself, one touch interplay between Ovie Ejaria, Adam and Tyler Blackett set up Jon Swift (above, left) to finish from six yards, with Declan Rudd helpless.

The second was another slick move as Ejaria combined to release Lucas Joao from just inside the area, Rudd getting a glove to the ball but unable to stop it from crossing the line.

Royals manager Mark Bowen said: “I don’t usually single out individuals but there were some outstanding performances.

“Charlie Adam’s pass for the first goal was perfect, Tyler Blackett didn’t have to break stride. I brought in Tyler for his defensive qualities but he bombed 40 yards for the goals.

“It’s our fourth clean sheet in a row, our third win in a row. The goals we scored were from really crisp passing and they gave us the platform to be able to go compact in the second half and allow them to come on to us.”

Preston manager Alex Neil moaned: “It was a smash-andgrab job by Reading, two sloppy square passes from us for the goals and they were clinical.”

North End could have scored in each half, Rafael Cabral denying Brad Potts in the first before palming away Billy Bodin’s

20-yard piledriver. Their best other chance came when skipper Tom Clarke’s diving header was stopped on the line by Cabral.