Reading vs Swansea City. Sky Bet Championship.
Select Car Leasing StadiumAttendance14,335.
Report and free match highlights from the Sky Bet Championship clash between Reading and Swansea at the Select Car Leasing Stadium as the Royals battled back from 4-1 down to earn a thrilling draw on Easter Monday.
Monday 18 April 2022 18:43, UK
Reading's relegation fight received a boost when they secured a dramatic 4-4 draw with Swansea at the SCL Stadium.
In a hectic opening 12 minutes, which saw three goals, Reading went in front through a penalty from striker Lucas Joao.
Swansea hit back swiftly and went 2-1 up with well-struck drives from Hannes Wolf and top scorer Joel Piroe.
Piroe added his second goal, from a penalty, just before the interval.
Swansea stretched further ahead in the second half, through Michael Obafemi, but Reading replied with goals from Tom Ince and Joao.
Defender Tom McIntyre then pounced in the fifth minute of added time to grab a stunning draw for the hosts.
Reading are now seven points clear of the Sky Bet Championship drop zone with three games to play, while Swansea's hopes of a play-off place are all-but over.
Reading went ahead in only the third minute, when Piroe appeared to bring down Josh Laurent in the Swansea area.
Referee Kevin Friend did not seem interested but gave the spot-kick on the advice of an assistant. Joao duly despatched it for his ninth goal of the campaign.
Swansea were level within three minutes when a fine, flowing move ended with midfielder Wolf curling an excellent shot past home keeper Orjan Nyland.
Piroe could have made it 2-1 soon after but his attempted lob cleared not only Nyland but also the crossbar.
However, Piroe did find the target in the 12th minute - superbly guiding home an angled effort away from the despairing reach of Nyland.
Reading were clearly rattled but, once they had settled again, almost levelled eight minutes before the break.
Junior Hoilett unleashed a fierce 25-yard shot that flew past Swansea keeper Andy Fisher and cannoned off the bar.
In the second minute of first-half added time, the visitors increased their advantage when Hoilett clumsily fouled Obafemi in the area.
Piroe stepped up for the penalty and fired in his 22nd goal of the season.
In a largely quiet start to the second period, Reading fashioned the first decent chance - only for Ince to shoot wildly over.
Obafemi stretched Swansea's advantage in the 58th minute, tucking in from close range, but Ince reduced the gap to 4-2 three minutes later when volleying in a Hoilett cross.
Still Reading were not finished, with Joao stabbing home in the six-yard box after a frantic 71st-minute scramble in the Swansea area.
Swansea seemed to have finished the stronger, with Obafemi, Wolf and Olivier Ntcham all missing chances to increase the winning margin.
But McIntyre then stepped forward - again after a goalmouth scramble - to snatch the late draw.
Reading's Paul Ince: "We got off to a great start and got the early penalty, but, then, for some reason, I think I might have got it wrong from a technical point of view. We were trying to hold off, trying to nick balls, stuff like that. It was too much and I think the guys took the standing off a bit too literally. But I'll hold my hands up for that, I got it totally wrong. And before we knew it, we had conceded two goals.
"But the spirit and togetherness of the lads was immense, even at 3-1 down at half-time. Even at 4-1 down, we got a goal back and there was a sense of belief among the lads and around the stadium. When we got the third goal, it was game on. It was push, push, push."
Swansea's Russell Martin: "I was really disappointed with it. I loved us for 60 to 65 minutes. Some of our stuff in the first half was incredible. We were up against a team fighting for their lives. The goals we scored were quality - even the penalty for our build-up to it. So for those 60 or so minutes, we were outstanding. I was proud of the players for what they produced.
"But for 25 or 30 minutes, we allowed the game to become like we did. Reading threw everything at it, took more risks and gambled a bit more. At 4-1 up, we needed more attention to detail, more intensity and more focus. But we allowed the game to become a stereotypical Championship game. And we're not very good at that."
