They took their time but Reading eventually put on a five-star show to clinch the Coca-Cola Championship title against Derby.

The visitors looked set to spoil their opponents' promotion party after the carnival atmosphere generated by the hosts earning top-flight football for the first time in their 135-year history failed to inspire a first-half breakthrough.

But they were simply unable to handle the rampant Royals after the restart, with goals from James Harper, Kevin Doyle and substitutes John Oster and Shane Long, the latter grabbing two, equalling their biggest win of the season.

The Royals needed to win and second-placed Sheffield United drop points to guarantee the title.

Sidwell and Glen Little earned invitations to the party after recovering fully from respective thigh and groin injuries, Brynjar Gunnarsson and Oster missing out.

Chairman John Madejski kick-started the festivities by applauding all sides of the stadium from the centre-spot, fans responding by chanting their benefactor's name.

Doyle came close to popping the champagne corks early on but his tame finish from the edge of the box drifted wide.

But still uncertain of survival, Derby were not about to play the wallflowers and a swift break saw Giles Barnes carry the ball 50 yards before firing a low strike too close to Marcus Hahnemann.

In fact, despite Reading's superior football, the visitors looked to be following their manager's instruction not to get sucked into the party atmosphere, and Paul Peschisolido was denied the opening goal by the linesman's flag.

Every Royals attack was greeted by shouts of "ole" and "shoot" but the hosts resisted the temptation until top scorer Dave Kitson's speculative turn and half-volley sailed over.

Another Derby break ended with Hahnemann grasping Michael McIndoe's drive, the policy appearing to be shoot on sight, with Barnes scuffing his second long-range effort wide.

Bobby Convey was too slow reacting to Kitson's through ball but almost made up for it with a stinging volley which unfortunately deflected behind off the striker.

A clear-cut opportunity was finally created when Sidwell exchanged passes with Kitson but blazed over with the goal at his mercy, before Derby survived a penalty shout when the ball appeared to strike Adam Bolder on the arm.

The entertainment level shot up after the break as Doyle robbed Lewin Nyatanga on the edge of the box and forced a fine save from Lee Camp.

Within seconds, the ball was at the feet of Tommy Smith in the opposite box but he ballooned the best chance of the game over the bar.

The sides continued to trade blows as Doyle got his head too far underneath Nicky Shorey's cross and McIndoe brought the best out of Hahnemann with an angled drive.

A goal at either end looked inevitable and Harper proved the man to provide it, riding some uncharacteristically weak Derby tackles before lashing past Camp from close range.

Little's trickery ended with a finish into the sidenetting as both crowd and team exploded into life, and it was not long before an unmarked Doyle was nodding Convey's inswinging cross home for number two.

Little maintained the cushion by heading off the line as Derby refused to accept the inevitable.

The Reading substitutions began with Oster and Stephen Hunt allowed to sample the occasion, and Oster responded instantly with a sweet sidefoot after the now-bedraggled visitors failed to clear their lines.

It was fantasy football at this stage, Sidwell almost netting a fourth before Long became the second substitute to score when he headed home skipper Graeme Murty's cross.

Having scored his first league goal for the club, Oster was denied his second by the post but Long wrapped things up with the goal of the game, a brilliant move presenting the young Irishman with his third goal against the Rams this season.

"That's why we're champions," crowed the Madejski Stadium crowd before the final whistle sparked a mass pitch invasion.

Teams

Reading Hahnemann, Murty, Sonko, Ingimarsson, Shorey, Sidwell,Little (Oster 69), Harper, Convey (Hunt 68), Kitson,Doyle (Long 72).

Subs Not Used: Stack, Gunnarsson.

Goals: Harper 59, Doyle 65, Oster 70, Long 74, 83.

Derby Camp, Jackson, Nyatanga, Moore, Wright,Bolder (Bisgaard 72), Idiakez, Barnes, McIndoe, Smith,Peschisolido (Ainsworth 72).

Subs Not Used: Poole, Thirlwell, Hanson.

Reading are champions

Att: 22,981

Ref: A Bates (Staffordshire).