Clarke’s sub-lime for Royals

TEEN sub Jahmari Clarke arrived at the double as Reading stunned Birmingham in a late show for more than one reason.

Academy starlet Clarke, 18, equalised in the 70th minute with his first senior goal then netted on 82 to cancel out Scott Hogan’s early strike.

Kick-off was delayed for 35 minutes due to a system failure after tickets couldn’t be scanned and CCTV and Wi-fi were affected.

But Clarke, on at half-time, ended a run of four straight defeats and nearly seven hours without a goal.

Reading boss Veljko Paunovic was forced to watch from home after testing positive for Covid-19. But he believes Clarke came of age.

“This is the moment he has been born as a professional,” said Paunovic.

“He has fantastic physical presence, power, a determination in the box to finish the actions – the narrow mindset to score which is good for a striker.”

Hogan latched onto an underhit backpass from Liam Moore and rounded goalkeeper Luke Southwood after three minutes.

Clarke equalised when he planted a bullet header in the net from John Swift’s cross – their first goal in 409 minutes.

Blues’ Troy Deeney sent a diving header against the post but Clarke smashed home the winner after his first shot was blocked by goalkeeper Matija Sarkic.

Brum chief Lee Bowyer said: “I didn’t think we played well at all. Even the things we are good at – competing and second balls – they were better than us. It was very frustrating.”

BIRMINGHAM CITY: Sarkic 6; Dean 7, Marc Roberts 8, Mitchell Roberts 7; Oakley 6 (Jutkiewicz 85), Gardner 7, Sunjic 7 (Aneke 85), Bela 7; Mcgree 8 (Woods 69, 6); Deeney 6, Hogan 8.

READING: Southwood 7; Yiadom 8, Holmes 6, Moore 7, Dann 6, Rahman 6; Dele-bashiru 7 (Camara 81), Laurent 7; Swift 7, Ejaria 7; Puscas 6 (Clarke 46, 8).

MAN OF THE MATCH: Jahmari Clarke. Scored a classy brace to show a real poacher’s touch to win it for Reading.

REFEREE: Thomas Brammall 8.