Tom Ince second-half strike was his second goal of the season and both have been winners
Tom Ince's sumptuous free-kick was enough to earn victory over Wigan Athletic at the DW Stadium and take Reading up to third in the Championship.
Ince's second-half strike earned the Royals a sixth league victory this term and ensured the Latics are winless from their five home matches.
A forgettable first half failed to produce a single effort on target, but the match improved markedly after the interval.
Tom Holmes and Tom McIntyre both went close for the visitors before Ince struck, while Will Keane was unlucky not to level with a header that came back off the inside of the post and rolled along the line.
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Before kick-off both sets of fans observed a minute's silence and then sang the national anthem in tribute to the late Queen Elizabeth II.
The first half was low-key, producing just six wayward attempts on goal and bringing very little excitement.
Reading, who had kept two clean sheets in their previous 21 away Championship matches and were on the wrong end of a 4-0 drubbing at the hands of Sheffield United in their last away trip, had the first noteworthy chance after 26 minutes, but Jeff Hendrick shot over when well placed from a fine pull-back by Andy Yiadom.
The hosts' best chance in the opening period saw Josh Magennis head a Tendayi Darikwa cross tantalising wide of the post.
The tempo, quality and entertainment all stepped up a level after the break, with Reading, who have now won five of their past seven games, having the upper hand.
Holmes glanced a header wide from Ince's free-kick, McIntyre was narrowly off target with a strike after good work by Junior Hoilett, before the increasingly threatening Ince made the breakthrough, winning a free-kick on the edge of the box and then finding the back of the net with a divine curled effort.
Keane was desperately unlucky not to level from James McClean's cross from the left, however, it was the visitors who continued to be the more likely to add to the goal tally. Ince almost doubled the lead but his downward header bounced over the bar after more great approach play from McIntyre, while Wigan keeper Ben Amos made a fine block as Yakou Meite ran through on goal.
At the other end Callum Lang raced onto Keane's clever lofted pass, but shot over while Charlie Wyke was also off target in injury time, meaning the Latics finished the match without a solitary effort on goal.
Andy Carroll, re-signed by the Royals earlier this week, came off the bench in the ninth minute of stoppage time as Reading held on for their second away league win this term.
- Line-upsMatch StatsLive Text
Line-upsWigan
Formation 4-2-3-1
12Amos27Darikwa5Whatmough16Tilt11McClean8Power18Shinnie19Lang10Keane30Aasgaard28Magennis
- 12Amos27DarikwaSubstituted forScullyat 83'minutes5Whatmough16Tilt11McClean8Power18ShinnieBooked at 36mins19Lang10KeaneSubstituted forNaylorat 83'minutesBooked at 87mins30AasgaardSubstituted forBroadheadat 61'minutes28MagennisSubstituted forWykeat 60'minutesBooked at 83mins
Substitutes
- 1Jones4Naylor9Wyke14Scully15Kerr20Broadhead23Fletcher
Reading
Formation 3-4-2-1
1Lumley17Yiadom3Holmes5McIntyre23Hoilett8Hendrick4Hutchinson12Baba10Ince19Fornah9Lucas João
- 1Lumley17YiadomBooked at 90mins3Holmes5McIntyre23HoilettSubstituted forMbengueat 87'minutes8Hendrick4Hutchinson12BabaBooked at 67mins10InceSubstituted forCarrollat 90+9'minutes19FornahSubstituted forLoumat 78'minutes9Lucas JoãoSubstituted forMeiteat 78'minutes
Substitutes
- 2Carroll11Meite18Guinness-Walker21Bouzanis22Loum27Mbengue36Craig
Referee:David WebbAttendance:10,113Match StatsHome TeamWiganAway TeamReadingPossessionHome61%Away39%ShotsHome10Away7Shots on TargetHome0Away2CornersHome1Away3FoulsHome10Away12Live TextPost update
Match ends, Wigan Athletic 0, Reading 1.
90'+10'Full Time
Second Half ends, Wigan Athletic 0, Reading 1.
90'+9'Substitution
Substitution, Reading. Andy Carroll replaces Tom Ince.
90'+8'Post update
Curtis Tilt (Wigan Athletic) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
90'+8'Post update
Foul by Yakou Meite (Reading).
90'+6'Post update
Attempt missed. Charlie Wyke (Wigan Athletic) header from the centre of the box is too high. Assisted by Max Power with a cross.
90'+5'Post update
Offside, Reading. Jeff Hendrick tries a through ball, but Yakou Meite is caught offside.
90'+4'Post update
Foul by Graeme Shinnie (Wigan Athletic).
90'+4'Post update
Tom Ince (Reading) wins a free kick in the attacking half.
90'+4'Post update
Tom Naylor (Wigan Athletic) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
90'+4'Post update
Foul by Yakou Meite (Reading).
90'+3'Post update
Attempt missed. Max Power (Wigan Athletic) right footed shot from the right side of the box misses to the right. Assisted by Callum Lang.
90'+2'Post update
Dangerous play by Max Power (Wigan Athletic).
90'+2'Post update
Mamadou Loum (Reading) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
90'+1'Booking
Andy Yiadom (Reading) is shown the yellow card for a bad foul.
90'+1'Post update
Charlie Wyke (Wigan Athletic) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
90'+1'Post update
Foul by Andy Yiadom (Reading).
88'Post update
Nathan Broadhead (Wigan Athletic) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
88'Post update
Foul by Thomas Holmes (Reading).
87'Substitution
Substitution, Reading. Amadou Salif Mbengue replaces Junior Hoilett.
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Source: bbc.com