By HECTOR NUNNS at the Madejski Stadium
MIDDLESBROUGH boss Neil Warnock was left raging at referee Peter Bankes over a late red card for Matt Crooks for a challenge on goalkeeper Luke Southwood.
Crooks was sent off in the 86th minute – a decision that looked harsh.
Warnock fumed: “I’d have fined Matt if he hadn’t have gone for that. I’ve got to be careful because the FA will be waiting in their offices for everything I say.
“The referee said he saw the tackle and then got advice from his assistant who was 45 yards away. The assistant told him the studs were high. It was the total opposite, his studs were down.
“It was never a sending-off in a million years and I thought we were getting stronger. It shows when referees have never played the game, they don’t understand those types of things.
“I actually think Peter Bankes is one of the better ones, and he’s had a bad day at the office.”
Veljko Paunovic’s injury-stricken Royals had 10 players and five centrebacks missing and started without a striker. But Alen Halilovic (above) showed he is the man for a crisis with a lucky winner for their third-straight victory.
John Swift had teed up the former Barcelona winger and although he made a hash of his first effort, the ball trickled in off Halilovic’s standing foot.
Paunovic was delighted with the win and batted off questions about a possible ninepoint deduction for breaches of profitability and sustainability rules.
The Reading manager said: “We have to stay focused on performances on the field, I don’t want distractions.
“We have 13 points now and we have to play and win games.”
READING: Southwood 6; Tetek 7 (Stickland 90), Laurent 6, Yiadom 6, Rahman 6; Drinkwater 6, Dele-bashiru 6; Halilovic 7, Swift 7, Ejaria 6; Hoilett 6 (Puscas 90).
Unused Subs: Rafael, Ehibhatiomhan, Clarke, Bristow, Sackey.
MIDDLESBROUGH: Lumley 7; Peltier 6, Fry 6, Mcnair 6, Bola 6; Howson 6; Tavernier 6, Crooks 5, Payero 5 (Lea-siliki 61, 6), Jones 5 (Olusanya 61, 6); Sporar 6 (Watmore 79, 6).
Unused Subs: Daniels, Hall, Ikpeazu, Bamba.
MAN OF MATCH: Alen Halilovic. Man for a crisis for Reading – a vital winner, with a lucky first goal for the club.
REFEREE: Peter Bankes 7.