Reading 2 (Sidwell 16, 90)
Aston Villa 0

Reading gained yet another Premiership victory with a hard-earned 2-0 win over Aston Villa today.

Steve Sidwell scored both Reading's goals, netting a header on 16 minutes then completing a lovely team move in second half injury time.

The Royals had a brilliant 25 minutes in the first half, during which time Siddy scored, and they had chances to add another as they completely dominated.

Villa came back into it though, and Ashley Young in particular saw a number of opportunities go begging.

Young's deflected shot onto the post was the closest the visitors came, while his strike partner John Carew was well shackled by Andre Bikey throughout the game.

Reading found their feet again in the last 20 minutes, and Leroy Lita should have scored but a poor touch let him down with the goal gaping.

Sidwell combined brilliantly with sub Dave Kitson inside injury time to make the points secure, and it was another solid and resilient performance as the Royals consolidated their sixth position in the Premiership.

A record Madejski Stadium crowd of 24,122 watched the game, surpassing our previous record by 12.

Reading (4-4-2): Hahnemann; Murty (c), Shorey, Bikey, Ingimarsson; Harper, Sidwell, Little (Oster 77), Hunt; Lita, Long (Kitson 62)
Subs: Federici, De La Cruz, Duberry
Booked: Harper, Bikey

Aston Villa (4-4-2): Sorensen; Bardsley, Barry (c), Cahill, Mellberg; McCann, Petrov, Agbonlahor (Berger 75), Maloney; Carew, Young (Davis 88)
Subs: Taylor, Laursen, Ridgewell
Booked: Young

Ref: M Clattenburg

Ref: 24,122

Full report
Villa had a great chance early on when Ashley Young was left completely unmarked, but he failed to connect with a clear heading opportunity eight yards out.

Reading then took control of the game with a spell of relentless pressure. Glen Little was at the heart of much of it, and it was his brilliance that won a corner down the right on 16.

Stephen Hunt delivered an excellent set piece, and Steve Sidwell made a run that was completely unchecked, glancing home a header with the aid of a slight deflection.

Leroy Lita was unlucky not to make it two moments later, but his header from Little's cross was straight at the keeper. Anywhere else and it would have been 2-0.

Reading were getting untold crosses into the box, with a Hunt delivery ending up inches away from Sidwell at the back post. A couple of times Sidwell was in a great position but teammates failed to pick him out.

Despite concerted pressure, the Royals couldn't add a second and in the ten minutes before half time Villa got back into it.

Marcus Hahnemann was on hand to make a couple of solid saves, denying Shaun Maloney and then John Carew. Gabriel Agbonlahor had a good sight of goal but dragged badly wide.

Second half
Villa continued to press after the restart, with Young skewing off target after a nice turn on the edge of the box.

Martin O'Neill's team were doing a lot of pressing, and it was Young who had most of the sights of goal but couldn't find the target.

Carew and Andre Bikey were enjoying an ongoing physical tussle when Villa attacked, and the Cameroonian was more than up to the task.

Villa came very close on the hour when Young's shot deflected off Carew onto the post. Agbonlahor followed in on the rebound, but Hahnemann was up very well to close down the danger.

Then Young miscued a header inside the area as Villa pressed again.

Reading were being restricted to half chances down the other end, and Lita was crowded out after sub Dave Kitson released him with a lovely flick.

On 81 the Royals really should have made the game safe. A brilliant quick kick from Hahnemann released sub John Oster down the right in acres.

The Welshman played a low ball in for Kitson, but he couldn't get enough on a very good chance. It fortunately ran for Lita, and it looked for all the world like he would score, but his touch was poor and Villa had been given a real let-off by some profligate finishing.

Patrik Berger came on and gave Villa some impetus, but Reading stood firm.

Everybody expected a Villa onslaught in the last few minutes, but it was the Royals who added a second in injury time.

A beautiful one-two saw Kitson release Sidwell inside the area, and he planted home a lovely side-footed finish for 2-0.

Sidwell still had time to shoot from 25 yards for his hat-trick, but it was comfortably saved and Reading took all three points with an efficient, disciplined and hard-working performance.