Reading 2-2 Brighton: Albion stay unbeaten

Reading defender Joey van den Berg scored an own goal and was sent off in the 2-2 draw with unbeaten Brighton in the Sky Bet Championship.

The hosts went ahead early on direct from a John Swift free-kick but Brighton levelled when Van den Berg headed in at the wrong end.

Although Brighton went 2-1 up soon after half-time, through an Anthony Knockaert effort, Reading skipper Paul McShane equalised near the hour mark.

Dutchman Van den Berg was sent off late on for a second bookable offence.

Brighton had gone into the game at the top of the Championship and unbeaten in the league and EFL Cup. They had not conceded a goal in their four matches and had scored 10 in their past three games.

Reading won their opening fixture, 1-0 at home to Preston, but had lost on subsequent trips to Wolves and Newcastle - 2-0 and 4-1 respectively.

However, it was Reading who went in front after only two minutes. Liam Rosenior fouled Roy Beerens on the right flank and Swift's inswinging free-kick evaded everyone in a packed penalty area. Brighton goalkeeper David Stockdale was helpless as the ball flashed past him and into the net.

Brighton responded quickly and were back on level terms in the eighth minute, though in controversial circumstances.

Knockaert slung over a corner from the right and Van den Berg, under pressure from Glenn Murray, nodded the ball into his own net.

Reading's players complained that Murray had shoved Van den Berg but referee Mike Jones allowed the goal to stand.

Brighton, beaten play-off semi-finalists last season, continued to dominate but were struggling to find a way through the resolute home defence.

And Reading almost regained their lead on the half-hour when Yann Kermorgant's close-range effort was hacked away by Lewis Dunk.

Kermorgant fashioned another attempt soon after but drove wide when well positioned.

As Reading upped the tempo before half time, Swift was denied by a superb last-ditch tackle from Rosenior as he tried to convert Chris Gunter's near-post cross.

Brighton weathered the storm and struck again just one minute into the second period.

Knockaert timed his run to perfection into the Reading area and fired a low shot past keeper Ali Al-Habsi.

Reading responded swiftly and almost equalised following a right-wing cross from Garath McCleary.

Kermorgant rose above the Brighton defence but, with Stockdale beaten, powered his header against the crossbar.

But Reading did equalise in the 59th minute, when McCleary provided another ball in from the right. McShane turned cleverly at the near post before sending a firm effort past Stockdale.

Stockdale then made a superb save from Kermorgant's spectacular overhead kick from a Beerens cross and, in the end, Brighton were happy to settle for the draw.

Van den Berg saw red in the 90th minute for bringing down Tomer Hemed.