Preston 3, Reading 3

READING and Preston served up a thriller in their FA Cup third round clash at Deepdale, sharing all six goals in an action-packed first half, writes Lawrence Hicks.

That the Royals appeared on the score sheet three times was surprising given that they were missing five strikers.

Cup-tied pair Lloyd Owusu and Dave Kitson couldn't play, while Darius Henderson was sold to Gillingham for an initial fee of £25,000 on Friday and Nathan Tyson joined Wycombe on loan.

To cap it all, Nicky Forster was ruled out with a stomach muscle problem and even attacking midfielder Andy Hughes was unfit with a hamstring problem.

Shaun Goater, who hadn't scored in open play since August, was recalled after an injury lay-off and he was partnered by the inexperienced Bas Savage.

Royals stunned their hosts by taking a seventh-minute lead when Scott Murray whipped in a free-kick from the left and Goater - who had one of his best Reading performances - marked his return with a firm header past Jonathan Gould from eight yards.

The lead was wiped out two minutes later when a speculative 25-yard strike from Brian O'Neil took a deflection to loop past a stranded Marcus Hahnemann.

The Royals had a slice of good fortune - quite literally - themselves after 13 minutes. Graeme Murty crossed from the right and Michael Jackson's attempted clearance flew off his left foot and into his own net from six yards.

Ricardo Fuller, a class act in Division One, out-jumped the Royals defence to loop a header past Hahnemann for another equaliser after 32 minutes but Royals fought back again with their third goal after 37 minutes.

The rejuvenated Murray worked himself free down the right and his cross-shot looped in at the far post after an influential deflection by Claude Davis, for the second own goal in the Royals' favour.

There was still time for Fuller to pull the hosts back on level terms moments before the break. He did so with a powerful downward header at the back post from three yards after a deep left-wing cross.

Both teams tightened up after the interval, Royals by way of a wing-back system with three centre-backs.

However, there were still plenty of chances for each side to move into round four as the game continued to flow.

After the introduction of youngster Dean Morgan in a striking position, Royals had two late opportunities that could have sealed victory.

The best of those came at the death when Morgan, who had already had penalty claims denied, went on a sparkling run but couldn't quite beat Gould with his shot.

With Forster and Hughes likely to be fit for the visit of Ipswich in the league next Saturday, Royals have every chance of progressing when this replay takes place at Madejski Stadium on Tuesday, January 13 (8pm).

Reading (4-4-2): Hahnemann; Murty, Williams, Brown, Shorey (sub Salako 65min); Murray, Sidwell, Newman, Harper; Savage (sub Morgan 57min), Goater. Subs not used: Young, Ingimarsson, Watson.