Cardiff City 2 (Routledge 10, McCormack 40 (pen))
Reading 2 (Doyle 16, Gunnarsson 49)

Ten-man Reading took a hard-earned point at Cardiff tonight, twice coming from behind to draw 2-2.

City's Wayne Routledge opening the scoring early on after an incisive move, but Reading equalled that with a very good break of their own, Jimmy Kebe showing great pace out wide to allow Kevin Doyle to score.

Then on the half hour Andre Bikey was sent off and it looked a very, very harsh decision indeed. It was an aerial challenge and certainly a foul, but difficult to see exactly what, if anything, could have prompted Peter Walton to brandish the red card so quickly.

Reading then had more reason to feel hard done by, Marcus Hahnemann conceding a penalty on 40 minutes, having surely been himself fouled by Michael Chopra before the spot kick was given. Ross McCormack scored, even though Hahnemann got a hand to it down to his right.

Despite all that, Reading found the character to get themselves level just after the break - sub Brynjar Gunnarsson scoring a lovely half-volley on 49 minutes.

We played very well in the second period, and might have had a pen ourselves for a challenge by Peter Enckelman on Gunnarsson but it would have been generous.

Cardiff had a late flurry of pressure but never tested Hahnemann - and considering we were a man down we were certainly satisfied with the result and a battling point away from home.

Cardiff City: Enckelman; Comminges, Kennedy (Blake 71), Gyepes, R Johnson; McPhail (c), Rae, Routledge, McCormack; Bothroyd (E Johnson 65), Chopra
Subs: Heaton, Purse, Scimeca
Booked: Bothroyd (foul 33)

Reading: Hahnemann; Rosenior, Armstrong; Bikey, Ingimarsson; Cisse, Harper (c), Kebe, S Hunt; Doyle, N Hunt (Gunnarsson 35)
Subs: Federici, Matejovsky, Henry, Long
Sent off: Bikey 29 (violent conduct)

Attendance: 17,154

First half
Reading had a decent early sight of goal when Jimmy Kebe got in front of his man and nodded a header goalward but over the bar from the middle of the penalty box.

Cardiff then put their foot on the pedal and enjoyed a good spell. First Michael Chopra got in down the left and curled in an effort not too far wide, then moments later the same player found himself free in the box but chose not to shot, instead setting up Jay Bothroyd for a blocked effort.

On ten minutes the opening goal came. Chopra slid a ball through for Wayne Routledge, who advanced with possession and placed a nice finish low into the net.

City had their tails up, and only a cracking save from Marcus Hahnemann then denied Mark Kennedy's curled effort from the outside of the Irishman's left boot.

But out of nothing Reading got themselves on level terms.

Kevin Doyle did very well to release Kebe down the left, and the Malian was in on goal from a wide angle. His pace found him a yard of room, and he could have shot himself but instead picked the great option of allowing Doyle to sidefoot home from eight yards out.

If the first 20 minutes of the game were lively, the next 20 gave many more talking points. With 27 on the clock, Andre Bikey went to ground under a challenge from Jay Bothroyd out wide and was perhaps frustrated by the tackle.

And within a minute or so, Bikey challenged for a high ball just inside his own half. He certainly fouled Chopra, but incredibly he was shown a straight red by referee Peter Walton. At first glance it looked a very, very, harsh decision, and video replays certainly backed up that view.

Summing up the challenge, Bikey came over the top of a teammate to go toward the ball straight on, and perhaps had his arms out in front of him in what can best be described as a 'Superman' position. He was not close to the ball, and it was certainly a foul but it would appear a yellow card would have been harsh - never mind a red and three-match ban.

Noel Hunt was also unfortunate as a result, coming off for Brynjar Gunnarsson as Kalifa Cisse dropped to centre back.

But the first half drama was far from over as City won a very contentious penalty. Five minutes before the break Liam Rosenior miscued a clearance and it skied up in the air toward Hahnemann in our goal. The 'keeper came for it over the top of Chopra, and the Cardiff man was surely backing in - the type of challenge that is always a foul on a goalie.

Referee Walton chose not to give it though, and Hahnemann couldn't get a clean grasp on it. It slipped downwards, and then Marcus looked to have fouled the striker for a penalty - but we should a have had a free kick earlier when Chopra impeded our man.

From the spot kick Hahnemann got down to Ross McCormack's low effort toward the corner but didn't keep it out and City had the lead once again.

And Hahnemann was called into action oine more time just before the interval, making a good save from Bothroyd after Routledge broke well into our half.

Second half
Despite only having ten men, Reading created a goal of real quality four minutes after the break.

Ivar Ingimarsson found himself wide on the left, and laid back a nice pass for Stephen Hunt. The Irishman's cross was a low one, and Gunnarsson fired in a cracking half-volley from the edge of the area that gave the keeper no chance as it nestled into the net.

Reading were a man down but very much holding their own and certainly getting forward at regular intervals.

Midway through the half we were very close to getting in front. Stephen Hunt exchanged passes with the impressive Gunnarsson, who burst through from midfield. It was a great run from the Icelander, but he just ran out of pace at the last. As the ball ran clear of him though, he had a penalty shout under a diving challenge from the keeper but didn't make too much of it or really complain to the referee.

Cardiff's front men had very much faded late on, and Chopra should have done better with an opportunity on 88 minutes but lashed wildly over.

The home crowd were on their team's back by then, having been frustrated by a resilient and dogged ten-man display from our boys.

We may be disappointed with a couple of big decisions that went our way, but the performance with a man less was very impressive and we could well have won.