Burnley 1 (Blake 81)
Reading 0

Reading somehow managed to lose 1-0 to Burnley this evening - Robbie Blake's 81st minute giving the Clarets all three points - even though Steve Coppell's side had completely dominated the entire game at Turf Moor.

We gave absolutely everything we could and created untold chances, hitting the woodwork three times as home keeper Brian Jensen put in a sensational man of the match performance to keep us at bay.

Chris Armstrong also had a great shout for a penalty early in the second half, but despite Reading having all of the pressure and chances, it was Clarets substitute Blake who turned home an excellent goal completely against the run of play - scoring from 20 yards with nine minutes left.

We could have had the game well out of sight by then, but just couldn't take the opportunities that came our way and found Jensen unbeatable.

We threw everything forward in the final stages, but never created another chance and were left to rue a game we clearly should have won.

It was a huge opportunity missed - we were far superior to the Clarets for 80-plus minutes, but have dropped to fourth and must reflect on a real sucker punch defeat that was so hard to take because we had done everything but score.

Burnley: Jensen; Alexander, Kalvenes (McDonald 72), Caldwell (c), Jordan; Gudjonsson, McCann, Elliott, Eagles; Paterson (Blake 58) , Thompson (Rogriguez 78)
Subs: Penny, Van Ser Schaaf

Reading: Hahnemann; Rosenior, Armstrong, Bikey, Ingimarsson; Cisse, Harper (c), Kebe, S Hunt; Doyle, N Hunt
Subs: Andersen, Pearce, Karacan, Matejovsky, Long

Ref: M Haywood

Attendance: 11,538

First half
The Royals started nice and bright, and had by far the better of the early stages. With only four minutes on the the clock Jimmy Kebe did well down the right hand side, and the cross just evaded both of the Hunt brothers in the middle.

Clarets keeper Brian Jensen was being worked heavily, and his team needed him to make a cracking double save on seven minutes. First he denied Kebe's volley from the edge of the box, then got up quickly to make himself big in front of Noel Hunt, just getting a touch on his effort from six yards, although the Irishman probably should have given him no chance and rolled it in the corner.

We continued to be much the better side, and when Jensen was beaten on 16 the post kept out Kevin Doyle's rasping effort and it bounced for Burnley to clear.

Kebe was our best attacking player, and was denied by a tight offside decision after Doyle played a nice ball over the top and looked to set him through.

We had the odd bit of defending to do, including an almighty scramble when Steven Thompson was denied by Marcus Hahnemann and a whole host of our defenders put their bodies on the line to hack clear.

Reading soon had the upper hand once again though, and another top drawer Jensen save denied Kebe - this time after a flowing move involving returning midfield duo James Harper and Kalifa Cisse.

Burnley had played second fiddle, but had a great chance just before the break - Martin Paterson shooting straight at Hahnemann when given a clear sight of goal after Wade Elliott's ball over the top.

Second half
Reading started the second half as by far the better side, and had a great shout for a penalty when Chris Armstrong looked for all the world to be pulled down inside the area - but incredibly nothing was given.

We were carving out all kinds of chances, and Liam Rosenior ought to have done better from 18 yards when Kebe played him in down the right.

Burnley's Christian Kalvenes forced a rare save from Hahnemann on 58, but other than it really was one way traffic as we played like a home side.

A minute later Jensen made a truly astounding save from Andre Bikey, tipping his great header onto the post after the Cameroonian bulleted one goalward from a free kick.

How it was still 0-0 was anyone's guess, and Harper's free kick was nodded onto the corner of post and bar by a the leaping Doyle with Jensen stranded.

Again the chances flowed, this time Armstrong's shot was deflected by a Burnley leg, and as it looked destined to curl in Jensen somehow readjusted and palm wide.

These chances were all coming in the space of a few minutes, and Kebe again tried his luck on the turn from Noel Hunt's flick but it was too close to Jensen.

After all that pressure, it was almost inevitable that Burnley would take the lead - and on 81 minutes so it proved.

Wade Elliott went on an incisive run down the right, and found Robbie Blake on the edge of the box. The veteran was under pressure, but produced a great turn and finish into the bottom corner from outside the area.

We threw everyone forward in the final stages - but in fact it was Burnley who looked more likely to get one on the break as we left lots of gaps, and Blake put one narrowly wide onto the side netting right on 90 minutes.

How we had not scored was a real mystery - but Jensen was superb and it's hard to say how we could have done much more. We were by far the better side but got hit with a huge sucker punch that was incredibly hard to take.