Reading 2 (Bikey 18, Doyle 76)
Doncaster 1 (Van Nieustadt 74)

The Royals maintained their 100% home record with a 2-1 win over Doncaster Rovers - but they made very hard work of beating a stubborn outfit.

Andre Bikey opened the scoring on 18 minutes with a neat header from Stephen Hunt's free kick, and after five straight wins at home it appeared the floodgates would simply open once again.

But Doncaster had other ideas and more than held their own for long periods, frustrating Steve Coppell's side with a display of possession football, albeit with little threat in front of goal.

We had two brilliant chances to put the game out of sight after half time, first when Noel Hunt missed a sitter from five yards, blazing well over left footed after Jimmy Kebe won the ball.

Then Kevin Doyle went clean through on goal, but with only Neil Sullivan to beat he took the ball too wide and a heavy touch saw it run out of play, a great chance gone begging.

We were made to pay for those misses when Jos Van Nieuwstadt pounced on some indifferent defending to head home, but thankfully the parity lasted less than two minutes.

This time substitute James Harper was the set piece provider, and his free kick was headed home by Kevin Doyle, a cracking nod into the far corner.

We stil had some defending to do, and it was a nervy affair but a win is a win, and 18 points out of 18 at home is a magnificent return.

Reading: Hahnemann; Rosenior, Armstrong, Bikey, Ingimarsson (c); Gunnarsson (Harper 70), Karacan (Cisse 70), Kebe, S Hunt; Doyle, N Hunt (Long 83)
Subs: Andersen, Kelly
Booked: Doyle (celebration 75)

Doncaster: Sullivan; Chambers (Roberts 57), O'Connor, Van Niewstadt, Woods; Stock, Hird, Wilson; Coppinger, Guy (Price 79), Hayter (Byfield 79)
Subs: Elliott, Heffernan
Booked: Chambers (foul 44), Stock (foul 90)

Referee: D Deadman

Attendance: 17,294

World TV: Coppell's post-match reaction

Full report
After five straight home wins, Reading came into this game full of confidence on their own patch, but it was clear from the off that Doncaster would be tough opposition.

It took us until the 13th minute to put together a meaningful attack, and although Noel Hunt put in a cracking cross, nobody was there.

Immediately Rovers showed their threat down the other end, with James Hayter's header deflecting off Ivar Ingimarsson and wide.

Reading soon took the lead though, and Jimmy Kebe takes a large part of the credit. The Malian went on a cracking run down the right, and was eventually fouled practically on the corner of the box.

Stephen Hunt whipped in a wicked delivery to the near post, and Andre Bikey got a flicked header on it, giving Neil Sullivan no chance as it nestled in.

The goal gave Reading the chance to get on top, but we were never very fluid and Rovers had decent spells of possession but without really threatening us inside the final third.

Just past the half hour Stephen Hunt got a good cross in from the left, and Kebe headed a tough chance not far wide of the target.

Rovers were keeping the ball nicely, but Reading's diligent work rate, epitomised by Noel Hunt, never allowed them to settle.

Noel almost got in on goal in the last minutes of the half after a lovely Kevin Doyle pass, but Jos Van Nieuwstadt put in a superb tackle.

Second half
Reading should have put the game completely out of sight at the start of the second half after a couple of incredible chances.

First Noel Hunt blazed over from only five yards after Kebe put a defender under pressure, and although the ball came to the Irishman quickly, it was a sitter that he should have taken.

Then on 65 minutes Doyle was sent through on goal after an inadvertent flick-on from a Rovers player. It was as clear a one-on-one as you could imagine. But after trying to go 'round the keeper Doyle just ran it too wide, a brilliant chance not taken.

In between those opportunities Donny had a penalty shout through Hayter, and although he appealed none of his teammates joined in.

Reading were becoming rather frustrated as the game went on, and the points were not as safe as we wanted. With 20 left, both James Harper and Kalifa Cisse came on for fresh legs in midfield.

If we were somewhat infuriated by a single goal lead, referee Mr Deadman did little to lighten the mood, giving a series of decisions when there seemed to be no doubt that we'd won the ball.

From one such decision on 73 minutes, Marcus Hahnemann had to palm over Martin Woods' free kick.

And from the resulting corner, our defending was very indifferent, and Van Nieuwstadt headed home powerfully.

But we were only level for two minutes - if that. Referee Deadman gave a free kick in our favour, and from yet another great delivery, this time from Harper, Doyle headed home a beauty into the far corner.

The Irishman was clearly delighted with the goal, and celebrated by whipping his shirt off and throwing it into the north stand.

With seven minutes left Kebe look certain to score but somehow failed to get his head on Doyle's cross through a crowd of bodies.

In the 88th minute Cisse flashed a strike into the side netting, and the last few moments were ragged but we stood firm.

It had been a nervy affair, and after five straight home wins we had come to expect flowing football. Donny had other ideas, but our superior quality in front of goal, thanks in no small part to good set pieces from Hunt and Harper, gave us all three points.

Elsewhere Leroy Lita's hat-trick against Wolves gave us a further boost, and we closed the gap at the top of the Coca-Cola Championship after a below-par performance but satisfying result.