Sunderland strengthened their promotion hopes as two goals in the space of two
second-half minutes saw them leapfrog Reading to move back into the play-off
places.
The game looked to be heading for a stalemate until the 73rd minute when
Darren Byfield broke the deadlock and substitute Tommy Smith doubled the
advantage 90 seconds later to secure all three points.
The result was no more than Mick McCarthy's men deserved after dominating for
long periods as they extended their unbeaten run to seven matches, although they
ended the match with 10 men after Jeff Whitley was sent off for the second time
in four games.
Sunderland had made a bright start and Stephen Wright headed over from a John
Oster corner but it proved to be a rare highlight during a scrappy start as both
sides struggled to adapt to the testing conditions.
The FA Cup semi-finalists threatened again in the 25th minute when Sean
Thornton fired wide from the edge of the area while Steve Sidwell had a shot
blocked at the other end.
Thornton was also off target in the 35th minute and Reading keeper Jamie
Ashdown was forced to make his first save soon after when he held Darren
Byfield's left-footed strike from 25 yards.
Sunderland continued to look dangerous at set-pieces and Thornton's corner was
headed straight at Ashdown by Gary Breen before the keeper held Oster's shot.
Thornton's final act of the first half was a foul on Andy Hughes just before
the break which saw him booked and he was swiftly followed by Reading defender
Steve Brown for handball.
There was little improvement at the start of the second half but Sunderland
again looked most likely to break the deadlock although Paul Thirlwell could
only fire over from Oster's corner.
Oster continued to cause problems for the Reading defence and his 54th-minute
cross found Kevin Kyle but the Scotland international could not hit the target
with his header.
Whitley was the third player to be booked as a result of his dissent before
Sunderland keeper Mart Poom had to be alert to keep out an Andy Hughes header
from John Salako's cross.
The match was turned on its head in the 73rd minute when Byfield rose highest
to meet George McCartney's cross and thump a header past Ashdown for his second
goal of the week following his equaliser against Stoke on Tuesday.
Reading were still reeling from that setback when Smith, who had only been on
the pitch five minutes as a replacement for Kyle, poked the ball home from close
range at the second attempt.
The home side were given a glimmer of hope in the 83rd minute when Whitley was
shown a second yellow card following a foul on James Harper but Reading never
threatened to take advantage.
Teams
Reading: Ashdown, Murty, Newman, Ingimarsson, Brown,
Salako (Brooker 70), Harper, Sidwell, Hughes (Murray 80),
Goater (Morgan 60), Kitson.
Subs Not Used: Savage, Young.
Booked: Brown.
Sunderland: Poom, Wright, Babb, Breen, McCartney,
Thornton (Piper 73), Oster, Whitley, Thirlwell,
Kyle (Tommy Smith 69), Byfield (Cooper 86).
Subs Not Used: Williams, Myhre.
Sent Off: Whitley (83).
Booked: Thornton, Whitley, Byfield, Thirlwell.
Goals: Byfield 73, Tommy Smith 74.
Att: 18,019
Ref: P Taylor (Hertfordshire).
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