Reading FC came from behind to secure a 2-1 win at Hull City on Saturday afternoon in what was the Royals’ last match before the World Cup break.
Jacob Greaves’ ninth minute goal was cancelled out by Yakou Meite, who turned home a Hoilett corner, ensuring the Royals went into the break on level terms.
Despite absorbing pressure towards the end of the game, Reading claimed a memorable three points through a 94th minute Longman own-goal.
Reading made the trip up to East Yorkshire off the back of a poor run of form which had seen them win just one of their last nine games.
Paul Ince made four changes to the side which lost at Watford in midweek with Dean Bouzanis, Amadou Mbengue, Junior Hoilett and Shane Long all returning to the starting eleven.
Hull were playing their first home match under new manager and ex-Royals defender Liam Rosenier, who was appointed following the sacking of Shota Arveladze.
The Tigers came into the game in 19th position but only three points behind the Royals.
Reading made a tentative start to the game; an early mix-up between Mbengue and Jeff Hendrick allowed Ryan Longman to put a dangerous cross into Regan Slater, whose effort rolled into Bouzanis’ gloves.
The Hull winger was involved again moments later, cutting in from the left and firing a right-footed effort towards goal. Reading were able to get enough bodies behind the ball to divert it away for a corner.
Bouzanis was forced into an acrobatic save to deny Tobias Figueiredo off the resulting corner, but the Australian could only watch as the next delivery was powered home by Tigers captain Jacob Greaves, who was left unmarked on the penalty spot.
The Royals were unable to fashion any chances of their own and could have gone further behind on the 24th minute after a mix-up between Mbengue and Bouzanis saw the ball fall to Slater. With the goal seemingly at his mercy, the forward could not get a shot away quickly enough and Mbengue was able to recover.
The away side did eventually create an opening on the half-hour mark. Long chased down a lost cause in the right channel and was able to find Ince whose deflected shot fell to the Canadian – his stabbed effort was turned around the post by Nathan Baxter.
Paul Ince’s men restored parity off the resulting corner. Hoilett’s delivery found its way through bodies and into the path of Meite. At full-stretch, the Ivorian was able to fire home, to the delight of the 350-odd travelling fans.
Hull were keen to regain the lead with urgency and could have grabbed a second had Ryan Woods’ right-footed strike from 22 yards out been more accurate.
Less than a minute later, the central midfielder was on the receiving end of a strong Jeff Hendrick tackle. With the home fans and dugout incensed, the Irishman would have feared the worst as the referee ushered him over, but only received a booking.
Reading finished the half well, looking the side more likely to go in front. Tyrese Fornah tested Baxter moments before the interval, unleashing a curled effort from 25 yards out which fell into the hands of the goalkeeper.
The Royals began the second half much in the same vein. Andy Yiadom found himself in an advanced position and was able to deliver a well-directed cross into Meite at the near post, but his header proved harmless and was picked up by Baxter with ease.
An uninspiring restart saw the atmosphere drop somewhat at the MKM Stadium, but the home fans were brought back to life by an acrobatic effort from Slater. A well-worked move saw the ball teed up to the winger at the back post, but his shot was blocked.
Rosenior was the first of the two managers to blink, ordering a triple substitution on the hour mark. Ince responded with a change of his own, replacing a tiring Fornah with Mamadou Loum.
Longman used his guile and speed to get goalside of Reading’s defence on a number of occasions, but seemed to lack the confidence to burst through on goal.
With the Long-Meite pairing starved of any meaningful service and unable to to create openings of their own, Ince tasked Andy Carroll and Lucas Joao to find the Royals a winner.
Heading into the final ten minutes of the contest, an intricate move between Hoilett and Joao on the edge of Hull’s penalty area saw the ball laid off to Ince in a position from which he has proven deadly this season. On this occasion, his curled left-footed effort deflected off for a corner.
The play became more stretched, with the ball going from one end to the other. Both sides were limited to long range sighters.
The home side had a penalty appeal turned down in the 89th minute. Jean Michael Seri went down after feeling pressure from Baba Rahman, but the referee adjudged the contact to be negligible.
Hull had one final chance to claim all three points after Lewie Coyle’s cross found its way through to Longman on the edge of the six yard box. The forward couldn’t get a firm enough strike and Bouzanis was able to gather.
But just as the game felt like it was petering out to a draw, Joao was able to win a free kick in the attacking half. Ince’s ball found Carroll at the back post and his header across the box ricocheted off Longman and past a despairing Baxter.
The three points sees the Royals make the journey back down to Berkshire in 12th position.
Hull: Baxter, Greaves ©, Jones, Figueiredo, Docherty, Woods (Tufan 59’), Longman, Pelkas (Sinik 60’), Seri, Slater, Christie (Coyle 59’)
Subs: Ingram, Coyle, Elder, Tufan, Sinik, McLoughlin, Smith
Reading: Bouzanis, Hoilett, Yiadom ©, Holmes, Mbengue, Rahman, Fornah (Loum 60’), Hendrick, Ince, Meite (Carroll 71’), Long (Meite 71’)
Subs: Boyce-Clarke, Abbey, Guinness-Walker, Ejaria, Joao, Carroll
