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  • Kick-off: 15:00
  • Venue: Pride Park Stadium
  • Attendance: 33087
  • Referee: Riley, M

Live Commentary

90 mins

Hardly any stoppage time here at Pride Park and as the Derby fans make to the pitch, the Reading fathful are left holding their head in their hands. Best of luck next year to Reading and Derby fans alike.

89 mins

LITA heads low past Carroll to bring up the fourth goal of the afternoon but it doesn't look like it is going to be enough as Fulham enter injury time in the lead.

88 mins

Doyle runs with the ball, keeps going and going and going but is eventually tackled as he makes his way into the area, fair challenge though!

86 mins

The ball rolls to Oster who watches it onto his right foot and fires off a shot but the effort is weak and flies out for a goal kick.

85 mins

As we head into the final five minutes of the match Fulham are still a goal to the good and Reading are heading for the Premiership trap door.

83 mins

Harper off, Andre Bikey on for Reading. That's all the substitutions made here now at Pride Park.

81 mins

The corner is taken but it sums up Derby' season as the ball sails out harmlessly for a goal kick.

81 mins

Kalifa Cisse comes on for the outstanding Matejovsky who has run himself out of steam here.

80 mins

Derby take a free kick high into the afternoon sky which Moore gets on the end of but sends his header into a Reading defender and out for a corner.

78 mins

Murty drives a shot across the face of goal, running out for a goal kick in the end.

77 mins

Oster tries to get a shot away but he slips as he goes to pull the trigger and Derby scramble the ball away.

75 mins

Disaster for Reading as Fulham take the lead at Fratton Park through a Danny Murphy header! After all this good work today, Reading will be heading out of the Premier league this afternoon if the scores stay as they are.

73 mins

Derby have given up on this match now and Reading could well be looking for a fourth here!

70 mins

The game is all over here but Fulham are still level, what a nervous end to a Premier League season!

68 mins

DOYLE and Matejovsky go in on a loose ball in the area and the Irishman gets the last touch, diving into the crowd as the ball nestles into the back of the net.

67 mins

Kevin Doyle comes on for Kitson who has picked up a slight injury.

65 mins

Hunt continues a run into the box and is onside but Carroll comes out and smothers the ball.

63 mins

Paris Simmons comes into the fray for Villa as Derb make their third and final change of the afternoon.

63 mins

The Reading fans are creating a deafening atmosphere here, it shows just what it means to Reading if they were to stay up.

62 mins

Hunt takes a free kick which falls to Harper, the youngster fires in a shot, saved by Carroll only as far as Lita who pulls the ball back for KITSON who is left with a simple slotted shot from a couple of yards out.

60 mins

Lita runs on to a through ball, cuts inside and unleashes a shot but the effort is hit straight into the side netting.

59 mins

Reading spray the ball about in the middle of the park and are now looking more confident, Derby haven't given up just yet though and their fans are doing their best to spur them on.

57 mins

Miller flicks the ball on but it's a poor header and Hahnemann lets the ball roll out for a goal kick.

55 mins

The Reading support are making sure that the atmosphere adds to this match but their players need to take the game by the scruff of the neck with the match continuing to be bogged down.

54 mins

Oster tries to find Lita with a long ball down the line but Moore comes across, using his strength to take the ball off of the Reading man.

52 mins

Blackburn equalise against Birmingham and it's still goalless between Portsmouth and Fulham.

51 mins

Carroll makes a very poor clearance which Hunt closes down on and the 'keeper is fortunate that Marc Edworthy is around to clear the danger for Derby.

49 mins

The match is beginning to take on a scrappy feel here, neither side can get the ball under control.

48 mins

It's been all Reading in the opening stages of this second half, it seems that Derby are resigned to dropping all three points once again.

47 mins

Oster plays a ball through to Lita but Moore does his job brillianlty and removes the danger.

46 mins

Savage is replaced by Marcus Edworthy.

46 mins

Sterjovski comes off to be replaced by Benny Feilhaber.

45 mins

Reading break forward from the kick off, looking for Lita but Derby stand their ground and clear the danger.

45 mins

The visitors get the second half underway and look to attack from the off...

45 mins

The half time whistle goes and Reading are well on the way to claiming all three points, which is more, they are also currently in the driving seat to beat the drop.

45 mins

Jones drives in from the left hand side, weaving through the Royal's defence and curling in a shot but Hahnemann collects with ease.

45 mins

The fourth official indicates a minimum of TWO minutes to be added on at the end of this first half.

45 mins

Murty collects the ball and drives a ball back across goal for Hunt but the ball is overhit and sails out for a goal kick.

45 mins

The match appears to be heading into the break without any other real bit of drama.

44 mins

Stephen Hunt rolls a pass through to striker Lita but the ball is ever so slightly overhit and Carroll dives on the ball.

43 mins

Kitson goes up to try the acrobatic overhead but is pulled up for high feet by referee Riley.

41 mins

The corner comes to nothing as it drifts out into the support behind the goal for a goal kick.

40 mins

David Jones hits a vicious effort from 30 yards out which Hahnemann has to tip over for a corner kick, where did that come from?

39 mins

Oster tries to find Lita in the box but it is headed away by Lewin Nyatanga.

38 mins

Reading have been a little quiet recently, perhaps they are looking to take the game into half time with a goal lead and build after the break?

36 mins

Birmingham have taken the lead against Blackburn down at St Andrews, the results at the moment mean they are still heading for relegation but it adds pressure on Reading to get a result here.

34 mins

Miller looks up and tries to hit a cross field pass but the ball bounces up off his foot and flies out for an embarrassing throw-in.

33 mins

Lita goes in on goal and out comes Carroll bravely who has just received treatment for a knock, the pair collide but the referee awards a goal kick.

31 mins

Birmingham and Pompey are still drawing nil-nil in their respective matches, many Reading fans have brought along radios to keep up to date with the results.

29 mins

A small break in play as both sets of players race across to take a drinks break in surging heat at Pride Park, the game really does have the perfect 'end of season' feel to it.

28 mins

Emanuel Villa battles with Michael Duberry and as the pair come together the referee favours the defender as Reading earn a free-kick, a largely unpopular decision it has to be said.

26 mins

Tyrone Mears plays the ball forward to Mile Sterjovski but the latter leaves the ball as it rolls out of play for a goal kick, much to the discontent of the Derby faithful.

25 mins

Reading are playing some of their best football of the season just when they need to here, this could be their day!

23 mins

Matejovsky knocks the ball forward and looks to run onto the ball but Robbie Savage pulls him back inside the area, nothing give from Mike Riley though!

21 mins

Hossam Ghaly tries to curl a ball into the box for Kenny Miller but his cross takes a touch off Matejovsky and spins into the arms of a grateful Marcus Hahnemann.

20 mins

Lita looks lively here early on, he's chasing down ball after ball and you have to think that he himself has a goal in him today.

18 mins

Lita races through on goal, chasing a through ball from Harper but Darren Moore comes across to make a strong challenge.

16 mins

Lita is through yet again but his shot is sent wide of the Derby uprights, Reading really are on top of this match though here!

14 mins

Matejovsky gets the ball through to Lita with a fine pass but Lita can't get the ball out of his feet and Carroll claims the ball.

13 mins

James HARPER collects the ball on the edge of the box and unleashes a spectacular shot right into the top corner of the net to send the travelling support into raptures! Reading take a step towards survival with Birmingham and Portsmouth drawing!

12 mins

Derby have began to calm things down here and are slowly starting to find their way into the match.

10 mins

Flick on from Matejovsky finds Dave Kitson but he snaps at his shot sending the ball harmlessly into the arms of Carroll.

9 mins

Matejovsky finds himsef on the end of a Graeme Murty ball and hits a cross come shot which drifts a yard wide of the Derby goal! All Reading at the moment.

8 mins

Lita gets up well from an Oster ball and heads just inches wide of Carroll's near post, great stuff from Reading!

6 mins

Marek Matejovsky plays a fantastic ball through to Leroy Lita who bears down on goal but Carroll manages to get to the ball just before the striker.

5 mins

The game has become brightly and both sets of fans are doing their utmost to keep the atmosphere electric.

3 mins

Derby try to break forward but Ivar Ingimarsson comes across to put in a challenge and force the ball out for a throw-in.

2 mins

The ball breaks to John Oster who has acres to run into but he fails to deliver a ball towards his front men and the ball is cleared away.

1 mins

Derby started the match and play the ball all the way back to Roy Carroll.

0 mins

The final game of the season kicks off and as the nerves fade away and adrenaline kicks in, can Reading avoid the drop at the very last attempt?

0 mins

Reading XI: Hahnemann, Murty, Ingimarsson, Duberry, Shorey, Oster, Harper, Matejovsky, Hunt, Lita, Kitson.

0 mins

Derby XI: Carroll, Mears, Moore, Nyatanga, Lewis, Sterjovski, Savage, Ghaly, Jones, Villa, Miller.

0 mins

The referee for today will be Mike Riley, in 28 matches he has handed out 103 yellow and 2 red cards.

0 mins

Reading need to better both Birmingham and Fulham's results against Blackburn and Portsmouth respectively if they are to keep their top flight status; Steve Coppell's only injury concern is that of Glen Little who has a calf problem.

0 mins

Derby host their final Premier League game hoping to secure some pride with only their second victory of the season whilst dumping Reading out of the top flight after just two years in the Premiershio.

Match Report

Derby County may have lost their top-flights status weeks ago, but the Championship-bound Rams could still have a huge bearing on the relegation dogfight when they entertain Reading at Pride Park.

Visiting Reading lost 1-0 at home to Tottenham last weekend to leave themselves level on points with Fulham outside the drop zone, but in the bottom three by virtue of a worse goal difference.

Therefore Steve Coppell's side know that, even if they win at Pride Park, they could be playing Championship football next season if other results go against them.

Derby will end this season with the unwanted tag as the worst team in Premier League history after last weekend's 3-1 defeat at Blackburn made it impossible for them to better Sunderland's record of 15 points.

Afterwards manager Paul Jewell promised the club's beleaguered supporters a vast improvement in fortunes next season and angrily hit out at reports that his job was under threat after no wins in his 26 games at the helm.

But despite the doom and gloom around Pride Park in recent months, the final home game of a torrid season is likely to be welcomed by a party atmosphere similar to that created by the small band of visiting supporters at Ewood Park last weekend.

On the injury front, David Jones, Dean Leacock, Alan Stubbs, Giles Barnes, Danny Mills and Claude Davis will all miss out through various ailments.

Reading manager Steve Coppell has thrown down the gauntlet to his confidence-shorn side ahead of a must-win encounter.

The Royals have been dragged back into serious relegation danger on the back of a six-match winless run during which time they have failed to score a single goal.

"It's win or bust," he admitted. "We have to get a result to give ourselves a chance.

"It doesn't matter who we play we have to win, but we've lost the habit of winning football matches."

Coppell at least has a clean bill of health ahead of a massive weekend with only suspended pair Emerse Fae and Ibrahima Sonko unavailable for selection.

Kevin Doyle was the match-winner when the sides met at the Madejski Stadium back in October, but the Republic of Ireland striker has not found the net in the last 21 games and his form is symptomatic of the club's wider problems.

Derby County

Reading

Corners

2 0

Fouls

17 13

Goal attempts

6 11

Shots off target

4 4

Offsides

0 3

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