Saturday 16 April 2016 18:13, UK
Toumani Diagouraga and Chris Wood saw Leeds hit back for a 3-2 Sky Bet Championship victory against Reading to deny Brian McDermott revenge for being sacked twice by Leeds owner Massimo Cellino.
Michael Hector struck for Reading in the 39th minute as Leeds' defence failed to clear a free-kick - but Diagouraga headed Leeds level soon after the break and Wood nodded the first of his two goals in the 69th minute.
Substitute Deniss Rakels drew the visitors level but Wood's second goal of the game, following a mistake by Jake Cooper, took Leeds into the top half of the table.
Reading were without captain Paul McShane and Danny Williams after their spat in the defeat to Middlesbrough on Tuesday night led to an FA charge of violent conduct.
Leeds almost took a seventh minute lead when Mirco Antenucci's shot from the left squeezed through the hands of Oman international keeper Ali Al Habsi and onto the far post.
However, Reading went close twice in rapid succession. First,Cox was through one-on-one, only for Marco Silvestri to spread himself and save, before George Evans had a shot blocked after Leeds failed to clear a corner.
The home crowd groaned when Antenucci, put through by co-striker Wood, sliced a shot embarrassingly wide and both sides needed to lift their game in a match with little at stake except pride.
Hector typified the standard as he drove a free-kick into the back of referee Jeremy Simpson, before sending the retaken kick directly out of play.
Stephen Quinn's inswinging corners asked questions of a Leeds defence which looked distinctly unsure and often needed the assistance of midfielder Diagouraga.
More slack defending led to the only goal of a tepid first half, Hector applying a clinical finish a few yards out after Oliver Norwood's free-kick from the left caught Leeds out.
The home side needed a rapid response and it arrived three minutes into a much improved second half when right-back Gaetano Berardi made ground before sending sent a right-wing cross into the six-yard box, where Diagouraga found enough space to head past Al Habsi.
It was no more than the Frenchman deserved for a fully committed performance in attack and defence and he received warm applause on being replaced by Kalvin Phillips in the 66th minute.
After New Zealander Wood edged Leeds in front, Rakels looked to have rescued a point for Reading - until Wood completed his double act to earn the hosts the points.
