Brighton gave their survival hopes a massive boost as goals from Paul Brooker
and Paul Kitson secured a vital victory at Reading and moved them three points
clear of the Division One drop zone.
Royals goalkeeper Marcus Hahnemann gave the visitors a helping hand as his
first half error gifted Brooker the opening goal, and substitute Kitson added a
second against the run of play with 13 minutes remaining.
Jamie Cureton, making his first appearance since January, netted what proved
to be a consolation for the home side as the Seagulls held on to put the
pressure on the bottom three.
After a scrappy start, the visitors took the lead in bizarre circumstances
after 17 minutes.
Bobby Zamora's mazy run was easily dealt with by the Reading defence, only for
defender Graeme Murty to nudge the ball back to Hahnemann.
He picked up the ball, and the referee had no hesitation in awarding an
indirect free-kick to Brighton on the penalty spot.
Zamora, back after two games out with a hamstring problem, reacted quickly to
seize the ball and knock a pass to Brooker who slotted home his sixth goal of
the season, much to the disbelief of the home fans.
Reading began to dominate and should have equalised before the break as Glen
Little - making his debut after signing on loan from Burnley - spurned two
quickfire chances.
His free header from James Harper's corner after 39 minutes lacked power and
was cleared off the line by goalscorer Brooker.
The lively winger was then denied by Dave Beasant, connecting sweetly with
Nicky Forster's lofted pass, only to smash a volley straight at the veteran
stopper.
Reading continued to push forward in the second half but struggled to find a
cutting edge in front of goal.
Forster almost levelled in the 68th minute as he latched on to Harper's
defence-splitting pass and beat Beasant with a low shot, but the ball went
inches past the far post.
Brighton, who had failed to trouble Hahnemann since the restart, grabbed a
vital second goal in the 77th minute.
Richard Carpenter's inswinging free-kick was met by the head of Kitson, and
his glancing header went through the legs of the keeper and trickled over the
line.
The home side were not finished as fellow sub Cureton handed them a lifeline
seven minutes later.
Harper's pass deflected into the striker's path and he let fly with a swerving
25-yard drive that whistled past Beasant for his eighth goal of an
injury-ravaged campaign.
But Reading failed to take advantage of five minutes of stoppage time, as
Brighton battled to extend their run to just one defeat in their last six
matches.
Teams
Reading: Hahnemann, Murty, Shorey, Williams, Brown,
Chadwick (Tyson 79), Hughes (Cureton 72), Harper,
Newman (Watson 59), Little, Forster.
Subs Not Used: Ashdown, Sidwell.
Booked: Brown.
Goals: Cureton 84.
Brighton: Beasant, Watson, Mayo, Cullip, Ingimarsson,
Hart (Jones 72), Carpenter, Rodger (Oatway 79), Brooker,
Zamora, Barrett (Kitson 72).
Subs Not Used: Packham, Pethick.
Booked: Hart, Zamora.
Goals: Brooker 17, Kitson 77.
Att: 16,133
Ref: M Cowburn (Lancashire).
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