Reading have given their playoff hopes a huge boost after beating Middlesbrough this evening thanks to an Adam Le Fondre strike and a George Friend own goal.
Danny Williams was given the first real chance of the game but his 25-yard drive was saved well by Boro keeper Dimitrios Konstantopoulos.
Le Fondre then opened the scoring with a simple tap-in after Boro failed to deal with Jordan Obita's ball into the box.
Danny Graham spurned a great chance to equalise for the visitors and was made to pay when another Obita cross was turned into his own net by Friend.
Hal Robson-Kanu was forced to come off after a lengthy break in play for treatment before another dangerous delivery from Obita almost resulted in a goal for Sean Morrison before half time.
After the break, Pavel Pogrebnyak headed over before Le Fondre nodded against the bar from a Gareth McCleary cross.
Pogrebnyak then came close to scoring a wonder goal as he jinked past three defenders, but his strike at goal was saved.
It mattered little, however, with Reading closing out the game to secure all three points.
Benjamin Topliss
