- Kitson (54)
- Tuncay (83)
- Date:2007-12-01
- Kick-off:15:00
- Venue:Madejski Stadium
- Attendance:22262
- Referee:Wiley, A
Live Commentary
90mins
A draw is probably a fair result with Tuncay levelling the game for Boro after Kitson's opener.
90mins
Could be the final chance of the game as Kitson heads wide Shorey's decent cross.
89mins
Lee Cattermole replaces Johnson as Boro look to safeguard a point.
87mins
Goalscorer Tuncay turns defender to head clear a fine inswinging cross from Harper.
84mins
Reading throw on striker Stacey Long for Gunnarsson
82mins
Boro get a deserved equaliser as Young swings over a great cross that Tuncay can't fail to head home.
79mins
Tuncay manages to wriggle into the box but Bikey does well to get in a block.
77mins
Steve Coppell looks to close the game out by replacing winger Convey with defensive midfielder Bikey.
75mins
Aliadiere gets another shot in from 12 yards but he can't get enough power behind it and Hahnemann saves.
72mins
Great cross by Convey is just punched away by Turnbull as Doyle waited to prod home.
69mins
A double change by Gareth Southgate as Huth and Tuncay replace Woodgate and Lee.
67mins
Hahnemann and Sonko are at each others throats now after the defender let Aliadiere sneak in at the far post.
65mins
Boro look shell-shocked after going one down. They had dominated the game but could be in danger of conceding again unless they up the tempo.
64mins
Woodgate and Hunt square up to one another after a 50-50 challenge but the referee dishes out just a telling off to both players.
62mins
Reading have got their tails up and force a corner after good work by Kitson
60mins
Wheater hacks the ball clear from Convey as Reading look for a second.
57mins
The game has sparked into life now. Good work by Convey who plays in Doyle and his shot is pushed around the post by Turnbull.
54mins
Ingimarsson goes into the book for pulling back Downing.
53mins
Reading take the lead against the run of play as Kitson chips the advancing Boro kepper Turnbull. Good finish.
51mins
Kitson tries to work the ball into Convey but Young cuts it out.
48mins
Boro's Johnson gets booked for kicking the ball away at a Reading free kick
48mins
Once again Middlesbrough look the livlier of the two sides as Pogatetz cuts inside and drills a shot at Hahnemann
46mins
Reading kick off the second half looking for a marked improvement in their poor first half showing.
45mins
0-0 at the break but Middlesbrough will feel they should be leading after forcing Hahnemann into several fine saves and hitting the Reading post.
45mins
Murty goes into the book for a late challenge on Lee.
42mins
Middlesbrough should be one up. Lee and Aliadiere both test Hahnemann in a goal mouth scramble but the best they can do is hit the post.
40mins
A great ball by Rochemback looks destined for Lee but Hahnemann does well to snatch it away from the Boro forward.
38mins
Middlesbrough again look impressive going forward. It's Boateng who provides the cross this time but Lee can't quite reach it.
37mins
Turnball does well again as he gathers a 25 yard snapshot from Kitson.
35mins
Rochemback slams the ball past Hahnemann but as the Boro fans celebrate referee Wiley signals an offside.
34mins
Boro respond well with a three against three break away but Aliadiere plays the ball to Johnson when Lee seemed the better option and Reading clear.
32mins
Best chance of the game as Doyle and Kitson combine well with the latter forcing a good stop from Turnball.
30mins
Hunt hits an aimless ball over the Boro defence and the ball runs straight to Turnball. Boro's number two goalkeeper hasn't really been tested by Reading yet
28mins
Neither side seem to be able to take hold of the game in a stop-start match
26mins
Former Arsenal hitman Aliadiere makes a great run across the Reading defence but can't get his shot off and instead throws himself to the floor looking for the foul. Ref Wiley isn't fooled and waves play on.
24mins
Despite their lowly league position, Middlesbrough are looking dangerous in attack and strong at the back. This could be a long afternoon for Reading.
22mins
Harper nearly catches Boro out with a quick free kick but Woodgate eases Kitson off the ball to clear the danger.
20mins
Lee and Aliadiere combine well on the edge of the Reading box but the final shot doesn't trouble Hahnemann
18mins
Kitson leads the break away for Reading and finds winger Convey but the American drives his shot at Turnbull who collects at the second attempt.
15mins
Rookie 'keeper Turnbull dives at the feet of Doyle as the striker closes in on the Boro goal.
13mins
Aliadiere turns Ingimarsson but fires his shot straight at Hahnemann.
10mins
Excellent play by Hunt who takes on the Boro defence but the Irishman's cross drifts out for a goal kick.
9mins
The Reading fans are furious with referee Mike Riley after he blew for a free kick to the home side. Doyle had skipped away from Woodgate and the advantage would have left the Irish striker one-on-one with Turnbull.
6mins
Reading defender Sonko brings down the lively Johnson but the free kick is chipped straight at Hahnemann
4mins
A Boro corner comes to nothing but it's a fine start by the away side.
2mins
Middlesbrough make a positive start as Downing bombs down the right hand touchline but Ingimarsson clears the danger.
0mins
Middlesbrough boss Gareth Southgate must do without goalkeeper Mark Schwarzer but Julio Arca returns after a long-term knee problem.
0mins
Defender Michael Duberry misses out again having not recovered from the rib injury suffered at Fulham in early November.
Match Preview
Reading have a chance to edge clear of the relegation dogfight when they play host to struggling Middlesbrough at the Madejski Stadium.
Boro are currently level on points with third-bottom Sunderland, with the Royals just three points better off.
Steve Coppell's side have also tasted defeat on their last three league outings, with Stephen Ireland's spectacular late volley robbing Reading of a point at Manchester City last time out.
Coppell's men have shipped 31 goals in 14 league games this term and need to tighten up to avoid being dragged back down into the danger zone.
"We contributed fully to the game and it was hard to concede a goal so late on in the match," Coppell said after the Eastlands loss.
"We went a goal down, but knew that we would get a chance to get back into the match and when we equalised felt we'd get at least a point."
Coppell will hope to have centre-back Michael Duberry back in the fold after a rib injury.
Boro are without a win in their last nine league outings, with manager Gareth Southgate the latest top-flight to come under pressure.
He told the Evening Gazette: "There's no question of the support that I am receiving from above and what I do feel is that I'm desperate to repay that backing.
"I don't think I'm bulletproof in that I don't need to get results. I know I need to get results and I know what needs to improve to get those results."
Southgate should be boosted by the return of midfielder Julio Arca after a knee injury, but striker Mido is still being troubled by a groin problem.
Meanwhile, Ross Turnbull will make a rare appearance in goal after regular number one Mark Schwarzer was ruled out for six weeks with a broken thumb.
Southgate must also decide between 17-year-old youth team goalkeepers Jason Steele and Matthew Atkinson on the bench in the absence of understudy Brad Jones.
Last time out, Boro were well beaten 3-0 at home by Aston Villa, while they have only gathered four points from seven away games this term.
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Match Report
Substitute Tuncay's first goal for the club secure a precious point for Middlesbrough and left Reading looking anxiously over their shoulders heading into crucial Christmas period.
The Turkish striker came off the bench to rescue Boro seven minutes from time after Dave Kitson had fired Reading in front nine minutes into the second half.
An insipid first half had seen Reading take the best part of 15 minutes to test Ross Turnbull, Boro's third-choice keeper who was making only his fourth appearance because of injuries to Mark Schwarzer and Brad Jones.
Turnbull comfortably kept out Bobby Convey's half-hit shot and reacted well to hang on a sweet shot on the turn from Kitson.
But the visitors had chances on the break in a scruffy game and Reading could consider themselves lucky to be on level terms at the break.
George Boateng had the ball in the net but was clearly offside and Adam Johnson shot through Marcus Hahnemann's legs and onto a post after the Reading keeper had palmed away a Jeremie Aliadiere shot.
But it was Reading who broke the deadlock in an improved second half as Kitson added a touch of class to a poor quality game.
The approach was route one as Hahnemann's free-kick from deep inside the Reading half was flicked on by Kevin Doyle into the path of Kitson, who neatly lobbed the ball into an unguarded net as Turnbull raced into no-man's land.
Doyle saw a shot pushed round the post by Turnbull as Reading looked to kill the game off, but the one goal looked as if it would be enough as Boro offered little cutting edge going forward.
Yet the outcome of the game ultimately hinged on two substitutions as Reading tried to shore the game up by bringing on defender Andre Bikey for winger Convey.
The move seemed to confuse the home side and instead it was Boro sub Tuncay who snatched a point for the visitors.
Luke Young worked hard to find space down the right and his fierce cross was headed home clinically from close range by the onrushing Tuncay.
Reading attempted to repair the damage by bringing striker Shane Long on for midfielder Bryn Gunnarsson and the Royals almost snatched victory late on when Nicky Shorey's superb left-wing cross was headed narrowly off target by the impressive Kitson.
But the reaction came too late and the 1-1 scoreline was ultimately a result that does little to suggest both these sides won't be involved in a relegation scrap this season.
Reading Team
Middlesbrough Team
Reading | Middlesbrough |
Corners
| 5 | 4 |
Fouls
| 11 | 16 |
Goal attempts
| 12 | 17 |
Shots off target
| 5 | 5 |
Offsides
| 0 | 2 |



90mins
But Boro nearly snatch the win as Hahnemann is forced to save from Aliadiere.