Reading vs Queens Park Rangers. Sky Bet Championship.
Select Car Leasing StadiumAttendance14,928.
Report and highlights from the Sky Bet Championship clash between Reading and QPR at the Select Car Leasing Stadium as John Swift scored a hat-trick for the Royals, but Rangers battled back from two goals down to earn late draw
Saturday 11 September 2021 18:42, UK
QPR extended their unbeaten run this season to eight matches with a dramatic 3-3 Championship draw at Reading.
Rangers went ahead early on when Dominic Ball's close-range flick appeared to be turned into his own net by home defender Michael Morrison.
But Reading equalised in the 35th minute when midfielder John Swift cleverly guided in on the break.
Swift completed his hat-trick with cool finishes in the 64th and 77th minutes, but substitute Andre Gray made it 3-2 with 11 minutes left and skipper Stefan Johansen levelled in the first minute of stoppage time.
QPR had won three of their previous five league games this term and have also reached the third round of the Carabao Cup, in which they will play at home to Everton.
Reading had lost five of their six opening outings, including their past three in the Championship.
QPR began brightly, with Moses Odubajo seeing an early shot blocked after a poor clearance from home skipper Liam Moore.
Chris Willock then delivered a precise cross from the left, but there was no team-mate on hand to provide the finish.
Reading showed little going forward and it was no great surprise when Rangers went ahead in the 11th minute.
Johansen slung over a deep free-kick, Jordy De Wijs nodded it back from the far post and Ball appeared to nudge it on in the six-yard box.
Centre-back Morrison seemed to get the final touch, the ball eventually squirming in off a post, and was credited with an own goal.
Reading threatened only rarely but, from an isolated attack, drew level 10 minutes before the break.
Alen Halilovic chipped a fine pass to Swift, who controlled it neatly on his chest before slotting precisely past goalkeeper Seny Dieng.
It was Reading who began the second half the better, with Swift crowded out when well placed for a shot and Halilovic sending a 20-yard effort too high to trouble Dieng.
Rangers gradually reasserted their first-half superiority and went close to restoring their one-goal advantage.
A scramble in the home area allowed Charlie Austin to pounce quickly, but his fierce attempt was well saved by 'keeper Rafael.
Reading replied immediately with their best move of the match, a slick-passing affair that ended with them taking the lead in the 64th minute.
Swift's crisp turn and finish, after being released by Tom Dele-Bashiru, comfortably beat Dieng.
The former Chelsea player was at it again 13 minutes later, skilfully turning in an excellent cross from Baba Rahman.
QPR ensured a hectic final when Gray poked in after a melee in the home area in the 79th minute.
And, after another melee in time added on, Johansen hammered home to salvage Rangers' unbeaten record.
Reading's Veljko Paunovic: "The way that it happened today, obviously the result feels like a defeat. On the other side, there was a big improvement in our team in attack. Also, to be completely frank and honest, I believe that we played against a team that is in much better form than us. And they had much more confidence than us. But we still managed to be 3-1 up.
"What we didn't do well and didn't manage properly is the result that we have. In the last 10 minutes, I believe that we misinterpreted the way that we had to play the game and close the match down. When QPR pushed forward with their full-backs higher and started to affect our back-line, we still found a couple of opportunities that we could have converted to increase our lead. But in those moments we didn't do it."
QPR's Mark Warburton: "We've got to say that is two points dropped. But if that's a bad day at the office for us - and we're dissatisfied with that - then that says a lot about our players and how hard they have worked. There's no doubt that we controlled long periods of the game, but it's about putting the ball in the back of the net and we didn't do that.
"We didn't really look dangerous until the last 10 or 15 minutes of the game. We were dominating the ball but not really hurting Reading - and then we found ourselves 3-1 down. Everything seemed to be flying into the bottom corner of our net. We had to be better, we had to do the basics well. We spoke about getting crosses in their box, but we didn't really do it until late on. And, even at the death, we could have won it."
