SERBIAN IS DOOMED
VELJKO PAUNOVIC’S run of eight straight Reading losses was ended with this painful stalemate – but it might not be enough to keep him in a job.
The Serbian surprisingly stayed in charge for this relegation battle as the Royals just about kept their noses above the drop zone.
However, Paunovic, right, did nothing to suggest the tide was turning. Visiting fans chanted for his head.
And on the basis of this poor encounter this could well be a League One fixture next term with Peterborough poor as well.
Posh had the advantage of a heavy wind in the first half – but could not make it count. It took a wonder stop by on-loan Arsenal keeper Karl Hein, though – he was again surprisingly selected ahead of Luke Southwood – to foil Jonson Clarke-Harris.
Hein then beat away a long Nathan Thompson effort but was reprieved after a poor kick Oliver Norburn could not capitalise on. At the other end Steven Benda made a fine stop to deny on-loan Stoke man Tom Ince.
Posh could have taken the lead before the break with Reading captain Michael Morrison clearing off the line to deny Jeando Fuchs. Then Norburn was unfortunate to see his piledriver just miss its intended target.
Reading went close within seconds of the restart as Tom Holmes headed Ince’s cross wide.
There was a shortage in quality though, with both sides showing why they were in big trouble. For the hosts Joe Ward’s shot nearly found its way in. But Reading became the more likely, helped by the better of the conditions, with
Benda saving well to keep out Yakou Meite’s 20-yarder.
At the other end Kwame Poku’s effort was gathered by Hein as it both became desperate for a goal. It was the Royals who should have got it when Swift tamely headed straight at Benda after Abdul Rahman Baba’s surging run while for Posh, who are now winless in eight league games, Jack Marriott was foiled by brave Hein keeping. Morrison was in the right place at the right time to deny Ward after Hein had surged into no-man’s land, Josh Knight headed wide from a Ward freekick while Joao’s run for Reading ended with a tame effort. PETERBOROUGH (4-3-3): Benda 7; Thompson 7, Knight 7, Kent 7, Coulson 6; Fuchs 7, Norburn 6, Brown 6 (Marriott 68, 6); Ward 7, Clarke-Harris 6 (Morton , Poku 6 (Jones 79).
READING (4-2-3-1): Hein 7; Yiadom 6, Morrison 8, Holmes 6, Baba Rahman 7; Rinomhota 6, Drinkwater 6; Meite 6 (Dele-Bashiru 82), Swift 6, Ince 6; Joao 6.