Goals:

0-1: Edwards (53, slid into finish from six yards after Aluko’s shot was deflected into his path)

0-2: Barrow (68, left unmarked at the back post to volley inside Ruiter’s near post)

0-3: Barrow (71, arrived into space to side foot a finish beyond Ruiter after Kermorgant’s clever flick)

1-3: Grabban pen (76, struck powerfully inside Mannone’s left hand corner after Asoro won the penalty)

Bookings: McManaman (14, foul); McShane (15, foul); Cattermole (34, foul); Aluko (42, dissent); Oviedo (42, dissent)

Sending-off: McManaman (45, second bookable offence)

Referee: Keith Stroud (Poole) – annoyed fans by issuing the red card but McManaman handled it and was also guilty of a silly earlier foul. 7

Attendance: 27,386

Entertainment: **

Sund Read

Shots on 4 6

Shots off 2 7

Corners 3 7

Fouls 10 12

Offsides 4 2

SUNDERLAND (4-2-3-1):

4 Ruiter: Beaten at his near post for the second when he ought to have stopped it;

5 Matthews: Had the pace of Barrow to contend with all afternoon but wasn’t the worst performer

4 O’Shea: Given a tough afternoon by Kermorgant and looks like the frustrations are catching up with him

5 Browning: Largely unnoticed, didn’t do much wrong but unable to keep Reading at bay

5 Oviedo: Looked bright going forward but found Aluko hot to handle before injury cut short his afternoon;

4 Cattermole: A day to forget and never recovered after collecting an early booking

4 Gibson: Unable to combine with Cattermole like he needed to in the middle and struggled

3 McManaman: His first caution was needless and the second stupid, even if he was given a bit of a shove by his marker and it proved costly

6 Honeyman: Showed plenty of willingness to get on the ball and went close a couple of times to scoring

4 McGeady: Gave the ball away cheaply a couple of times, including for the opening goal

6 Grabban: Converted his penalty like the in-form striker he is and it will be hoped Sunderland can keep him for the whole season

Subs:

Galloway (for Oviedo 58): Might get a chance following Oviedo’s injury. 5

ASORO (for McGeady 68): Showed more energy and desire to get on the ball in 22 minutes than most of his team-mates. 6

Gooch (for Cattermole 81)

(not used): Steele (gk), Love, Maja, Wilson.

READING (4-3-2-1): Mannone 7; Gunter 6, McShane 6, Moore 6, Bacuna 5; van den Berg 6, Edwards 7, Kelly 6 (Clement 81); Aluko 7 (Beerens 81), BARROW 8; Kermorgant 7 (Bodvarsson 90). Subs (not used): Jaakkola, Ilori, Blackett, Popa.

MAN OF THE MATCH: Mo Barrow – caused problems all afternoon with his pace and power and took his goals well too.