Reading were looking for their first win in seven league games as they welcomed Barnsley to the Madjeski on Saturday. It was the first game with new manager Brian McDermott in charge. He decided to leave new loan signing Zurab Khizanishvili on the bench and started with Shane Long and Simon Church upfront.

With goals hard to come by for Reading all season at the Madjeski, new manager Brian McDermott would have been delighted with the start they made. On 29 minutes Andy Griffin made good strides down the right hand side and knocked it to Sigurdsson who pulled it back to Shane Long who scored from close range. That was his first league goal for the Royals in nine months.

Reading's defence stood up well to the Barnsley attack in the second half and they finished the match with a rare clean sheet. The victory for the Royals has got them closer to safety after Ipswich lost away to Preston. Reading now lie only three points from safety.