DAMAGING WEEK ENDS WITH BATTERING AT BORO

READING FC were on the end of another heavy defeat on the road as Middlesbrough smacked five past the Royals without reply.

In what has been a troubling week for the Royals, the team’s troubles on the road showed again.

Championship top scorer Chuba Akpom pounced twice and Aaron Ramsey added two, before Marcus Forss netted a penalty to see Boro thrash the Royals.

The defeat leaves Reading in

15th position, but they are likely to drop further down the table with an imminent deduction.

The hosts started the game with plenty of possession, but were unable to forge too many chances to threaten the Royals defence in the opening 20 minutes.

When Aaron Ramsey chipped the ball into the box, Boro were awarded a spot kick as the ball struck Yiadom, whose arm was deemed to be in an unnatural position.

Championship top scorer

Akpom dispatched the penalty past Bouzanis to claim his 20th goal of the campaign.

The Royals looked to reply and were left dumbfounded as to how they weren’t given a penalty of their own when Shane Long appeared to be grappled to the ground in the box.

Boro quickly went on the counter and nearly doubled their lead but were thwarted by an important block from Amadou Mbengue on Cameron Archer.

With the match on the brink of half-time, Reading shot themselves in the foot and went in two goals down at the break.

After a disappointing free-kick delivery from Ince, Mbengue was caught on the ball and left Aaron Ramsey a clear run at goal and he took the invitation and converted past Bouzanis.

Reading got off to the worst start possible after the restart as Boro added a third goal to kill off the game.

A low cross into the box from Ryan Giles was tucked in by Akpom who claimed his second of the match.

It didn’t take long for

Boro to add a fourth goal as Reading’s away troubles reared their head again as Ramsey netted his second of the game. The disaster continued when Boro were awarded a second penalty of the game after Marcus Forss was tripped by Tom McIntyre.

Forss took the penalty and squeezed the ball past Bouzanis to put more gloss on the scoreline.