Reading 0
QPR 0

The Royals were held 0-0 by managerless QPR in a real battle of a game at Madejski Stadium on Saturday evening.

Reading were marginally the better side, and had two great penalty claims - first when Jimmy Kebe was pulled back in the area late in the first half, then just after the break when Noel Hunt's cross smacked straight into Gavin Mahon's arms high above his head.

It was not a completely fluid performance by Steve Coppell's side, and the closest they came to scoring was when sub Kalifa Cisse saw his diving header clawed away from under the bar by Radek Cerny.

We threw eveything we could at a stubborn Rangers backline, but found no way through a well-organised defence. Jem Karacan had a half-chance from the edge of the box after a melee, but clear chances were at a premium.

Marcus Hahnemann needed to make a couple of solid saves from long-range efforts, but he was not overly troubled too much as Rangers did far more work in their own half then as an attacking force.

Rangers will say they deserved a point - and you can see the argument for such a viewpoint - but if the penalty decisions had gone our way it would certainly have been a different story.

Reading: Hahnemann; Rosenior, Armstrong, Bikey, Ingimarsson (c); Gunnarsson (Harper 73), Karacan (Cisse 73), Kebe (Long 81), S Hunt; Doyle, N Hunt
Subs: Andersen, Kelly
Booked: Bikey (foul 89)

QPR: Cerny, Connolly, Stewart, Hall, Leigertwood, Mahon, Buzsaky, Rowlands, Cook, Parejo (Balanta 86), Di Carmine (Blackstock 60)
Subs: Cole, Delaney, Tommasi
Booked: Parejo (unsporting conduct 80)

Attendance: 20,571

Referee: C Foy

World TV: Steve's QPR reaction
 Clockwatch: Reading 0-0 QPR

First half
The game started with a very cat and mouse feel to it, neither side really getting forward with any real conviction until the 20th minute when Jem Karacan made a good run, flicking a header to allow Jimmy Kebe to shot just wide at the near post.

Five minutes later QPR had their first venture into opposition territory, and Samuel Di Carmine's shot was going wide Marcus Hahnemann palmed it around anyway.

The game was beginning to open up and Kevin Doyle showed great strength and skill down the left to work some space, and he got in a good-looking cross that was just too far away from Noel Hunt.

Eight minutes before the break, Reading looked to have a great shout for a penalty. Radek Cerny fumbled a high cross, and Jimmy Kebe went for the loose ball. The Malian was surely pulled back by a defender, but referee Chris Foy was not interested and waved away our vociferous appeals - a huge let-off for the visitors.

Noel Hunt forced Cerny into a save with a header before the whistle, but it was comfortable for the keeper. Reading had got better as the half went on, but it was not one of our best home displays.

Second half
Just after the interval the Royals had another huge penalty shout turned down - this time for a handball by Gavin Mahon. Noel Hunt got a cross in, and Mahon's arms were up high above his head. The ball clearly struck the Rangers man, but referee Foy obviously deemed it accental - a brave decision.

Seconds afterwards Karacan had a very good chance after a goalmouth scramble but badly miscued his half-volley from the edge of the box.

It was then Rangers' turn to enjoy a decent spell, and we looked unusually flaky at the back, Andre Bikey giving the ball away badly on more than one occasion.

Akos Buzsaky stung Hahnemann's palms with a drive from distance, then Parejo got onto Bikey's poor ball to unleash another shot - again though it was a fairly tame effort.

In front of a loud and intense crowd, the game was high on nerves and tension, but low on quality - passes were rushed and all too regularly misplaced.

Reading were trying to up the ante, and Bikey headed just a foot or so wide from sub James Harper's corner kick.

Into the last ten minutes and another corner almost paid dividends but this time Cerny made a cracking stop from sub Kalifa Cisse's acrobatic header.

Rangers were by no means out of it, and they wanted a penalty when Daniel Parejo went down in the box, but there was no contact from Bikey and Parejo was lucky not to be sent off, having been booked seconds earlier.

We threw all we could at the visitors in the last stages, but never looked like carving open a Rangers team who had defended well - but the visitors were also very lucky with the two penalty shouts in their favour.