By hook or by Crooks...
Crooks 84, 90+5
1 Carroll
READING
68
By CLIVE HETHERINGTON at the Riverside Stadium
MIDDLESBROUGH midfielder Matt Crooks piled on the agony for relegation-threatened Reading and grabbed the glory from Andy Carroll.
Veljko Paunovic’s Royals were already reeling from their FA Cup third-round exit at sixth-tier Kidderminster last Sturday and a 7-0 club-record home defeat by Fulham on Tuesday.
Former England striker Carroll looked to have lifted the mood when he nodded in his second Reading goal in the 68th minute, in what could well be his last game for the club.
But Crooks produced two headers of his own, on 84 minutes and deep in stoppage time, to move Boro into the top six.
Paunovic is hopeful that Carroll, whose short-term contract is now up – with Burnley understood to be interested in the Geordie – will accept the offer of an extension.
Paunovic said: “I don’t expect it to be his last game for us. His contract expires today but in my conversation with him I only felt that there was a desire from his end to remain with us.
“Hopefully Andy stays with us – and as soon as possible.”
Paunovic added: “It was cruel on us, a severe punishment in the end.
“We had brushed off the Fulham game and our team re-established spirit and identity during 85 minutes.”
Boro boss Chris Wilder saw his side snatch a lastgasp winner for the third successive game and admitted: “Everybody loves a last-minute winner and the Riverside was bouncing at the end. But I would 100 percent like a nice comfortable afternoon.”
Boro featured two new faces in their matchday squad following the loan signings of Brighton forward Aaron Connolly and Arsenal striker Folarin Balogun.
Reading enjoyed a lucky first-half escape after keeper Luke Southwood denied Andraz Sporar and the ball cannoned off Royals skipper Josh Laurent before hitting a post.
Balogun came on for Connolly on 67 minutes but moments later Reading struck. Tom Dele-Bashiru crossed and Carroll climbed to beat keeper Joe Lumley with a looping header.
But then Crooks struck with two headers to nick it – meeting Marcus Tavernier’s right-wing centre, then getting on the end of Isaiah Jones’s cross.
Lumley 6; Dijksteel 6 (Watmore 72, 5), Fry 6, McNair 6; Jones 6, Crooks 8, Howson 6 (Coburn 84), Tavernier 6, Taylor 6; Sporar 6, Connolly 6 (Balogun 67, 5).
Subs not used: Daniels, Payero, Peltier, Bamba.
READING: Southwood 6, Tetek 6, Holmes, 6, Laurent 6, Bristow 5; Drinkwater 5, Rinomhota 5; Hoilett 6 (Camara 56, 5), Swift 6 (Joao 87), Dele-Bashiru 6; Carroll 7.
Subs not used: Collins, Clarke, Puscas, Holzman.
MAN OF THE MATCH: Matt Crooks. The midfielder’s two late headers turned the game on its head.
REFEREE: James Linnington 6.