Reading 3, Preston 2

READING made it two wins out of two under Steve Coppell, with a dramatic 93rd minute winner from Nicky Forster to see off Preston in an incident-packed match on Saturday.

Following last Tuesday's 2-1 home win over Gillingham, Royals came from behind to stun 10-man Preston.

Within two minutes the visitors showed their danger, when Ricardo Fuller fired a left-foot shot off-target from eight yards. As Royals struggled, Fuller gave his team the lead on 20 minutes with a controversial goal.

Adie Williams seemed to be pushed over before the ball eventually broke to Fuller on the left of the box. His weak right-foot shot seemed harmless but Marcus Hahnemann allowed the effort to squirm under his body and into the net. Williams and John Mackie led the protests but to no avail.

Shaun Goater headed a right-foot cross from Nicky Shorey on to the bar just before the half-hour mark and then Royals were awarded a spot-kick on 37 minutes.

There was no dispute over the award, for a tug on Forster that earned Marlon Broomes a second yellow card and dismissal. But, after the first effort from Goater was tipped on to the post by Jonathan Gould, a re-take was ordered. Despite Preston protests, Goater fired past Gould to equalise on 39 minutes.

Royals skipper Williams and Murray were both denied just before the break.

After Fuller was rushed into shooting off-target when a long ball caught out Williams within a minute of the re-start, the plucky 10 men took the lead again after 53 minutes.

Sidwell gave Richard Cresswell an opportunity to fall over an outstretched leg in the box and penalty-taker Graham Alexander fired home a low right-foot shot to Hahnemann's right.

On 57 minutes Royals had what looked like an effort ruled out. Murray challenged Gould to a looped ball in the six-yard box and, after Goater's first shot was blocked by a hand, the big striker thumped home the loose ball.

Unfortunately for him, a foul was given for Murray's first challenge.

Murray then took a ball down on the right edge before flicking his shot against the post from six yards as Royals continued to be frustrated.

A quick counter-attack saw Fuller run from halfway to the left byline before Hahnemann made a fantastic save from the pull-back to Cresswell eight yards out.

Royals pressed on, with substitutes John Salako and Bas Savage having a big impact late on. Forster saw Gould hold his left-foot shot and, although Alexander fired a 20-yard free-kick straight at Hahnemann, it was the home side having all the play.

Royals' luck seemed to have gone when a cross reached Murray at the back-post but, from three yards, he struck the post again.

After 83 minutes, they grabbed another equaliser. Salako swung a left-wing free-kick to the far-post and centre-back Mackie rose superbly to bury a header past Gould.

In the third minute of stoppage time, Salako curled in a left-foot cross from the right. Murray flicked it on at the near-post and Forster was on hand to touch home from a couple of yards.

Reading fans can look forward to another home league clash against Walsall tomorrow night (8pm).

Reading (4-4-2): Hahnemann; Newman (sub Savage 74min), Mackie, Williams, Shorey; Murray, Harper, Sidwell, Hughes (sub Salako 45min); Goater, Forster. Subs not used: Ashdown, Watson, Tyson.