Wagner’s team of winners can complete job!

TOWN fought hard to beat Reading and extend their lead over the chasing play-off pack.

Here RORY BENSON reflects on Town’s hard-earned victory and five things we learned.

Even Town’s players don’t expect penalties:

Well, let’s get this one out of the way first.

Town were finally awarded a league penalty for the first time since March last year, but David Wagner’s message that Chris Lowe should take it in the absence of Izzy Brown didn’t get on the field.

Rajiv Van La Parra saw his effort saved. Philip Billing has come of age: The 20-year-old put in an excellent performance, scoring the winner in the 82nd minute.

Billing looked composed on the ball and without it he played his part in David Wagner’s gegenpressing system with aplomb.

The Dane could well have a large part to play in the run-in.

Town are a team for the big occasion:

Town have earned three wins from their last three matches against their promotion rivals.

Not only did they take three points off Leeds, Brighton and Reading, but they deserved their nine-point haul from the three matches.

If it’s the play-offs for Town, it will be hard to back against them - unless they are pitted against Sheffield Wednesday perhaps.

The automatic promotion race is on:

The win over Reading not only puts distance between the two sides, but also allows Town to keep up the pace with top two of Newcastle and Brighton.

Town are now five and four points behind those sides respectively, with both winning matches earlier in the week.

If Town can keep winning, they will pile the pressure on Brighton and Newcastle - especially with the Geordies visiting the John Smith’s Stadium a week on Saturday for the teatime kick-off.

For me, the win all but secures Town’s play-off spot as teams will have to take points off each other, and now all eyes will be on the teams above them.

David Wagner has created a team of winners:

Even though Reading defended resolutely for the first 80 minutes of the match, the Town players and fans showed no sign of nerves.

Town have scored 10 winners in the last 15 minutes of league games so far this season, and the players know they will always get a chance towards the end of games - largely down to the fitness of Wagner’s squad.

Panic does not set in as it does for other sides, and cool heads have helped Town to win matches in the dying minutes.

Long may it continue.