MEITE’S LATE PUNCH LIFTS PAUNOVIC
READING manager Veljko Paunovic vowed his side would keep ‘pounding away’ at the play-off places despite the setback of a draw at home to Cardiff.
After a poor and goalless first half, seventh-placed Reading dominated the second period, only to squander a series of chances.
Cardiff broke the deadlock three minutes from time when Kieffer Moore slammed home a penalty for his 17th league goal of the season.
But Reading levelled in the fourth minute of stoppage time when Yakou Meite nodded in a Sam Baldock cross.
“Of course, no one is happy with just a point,” Paunovic said. “But it’s still one point and we will see how the other results go this weekend.
“We will keep pounding away. No one is going to give up here. What I see is a great team that plays good football and never gives up.
“Everyone was on the same page from the first minute to the end and that really gets me going.
“When Cardiff’s goal came late, we showed a good reaction.
“We bounced back quickly and, once again, we showed that we never give up.”
Reading could be without 22-goal leading scorer Lucas Joao for their last four matches after the striker dislocated a shoulder and was taken to hospital.
“This happened to Lucas for the second time,” Paunovic said. “The last time, he was back after one week. We hope it will be the same this time.”
Cardiff began the better, with Harry Wilson surging forward only to be brought down by Liam Moore on the edge of the home area. Wilson tapped the free-kick to Will Vaulks, but his powerful shot was kept out by the defensive wall.
And again it was Wilson involved when he cut in from the right flank, unleashing a fierce drive that Rafael Cabral did well to parry away.
Shortly before the halfhour, Michael Olise and Ovie Ejaria saw long-range attempts blocked.
Meite went closer soon after, but his goalward flick from Olise’s chipped pass was saved by Alex Smithies.
Reading started brightly after the interval, with Ejaria testing Smithies from outside the box, before the injured Joao was substituted in the 58th minute.
Meite then squandered three decent chances, before Wilson’s clever dink over Cabral was hacked off the goal-line by Andy Yiadom.
But they fared better with three minutes left when Omar Richards clumsily fouled Moore, who then rifled home the spot-kick.
However, Reading hit back in stoppage time when Meite was on hand to nod home a Baldock cross from close range
Cardiff’s play-off hopes have as good as gone after a run of only one win in eight matches and boss Mick McCarthy said: “I’m raging. We should not have let Reading off the hook. We’d been terrific, we blocked stuff, we caught them on the break.
“I suppose I can’t criticise the lads too much. For that 94 minutes, they were terrific
“Then we let the cross come in and we’re not marking. The lads are raging as well.”