READING face another crucial match in their battle for survival when they host Shrewsbury Town on Saturday at the Select Car Leasing Stadium.
The Royals boosted their hopes of staying in League One as they bounced back from Saturday’s defeat at league leaders Portsmouth by beating Port Vale on Tuesday night.
The midweek win lifted Ruben Selles’ side up into 16th position on 38 points, six points clear of the relegation zone despite teams below them having games in hand.
Shrewsbury are also involved in the relegation fight and currently occupy 19th place on 35 points from 33 games.
The Shrews are winless in their last four and are on a stuttering run of form having won just two of their last 12 league games.
Shrewsbury are the lowest scorers in the entire division having scored just 23 goals in 33 matches which is two fewer than the next side.
The reverse fixture at Croud Meadow in November proved to be a late disaster for the Royals.
After being two goals to the good with early strikes from Sam Smith and Dom Ballard, they had any points snatched away from them in the dying minutes of the match.
Tom Bayliss scored in the 33rd minute to give the hosts hope before a 92nd minute equaliser from Chey Dunkley was followed by an extraordinary winner just four minutes later as the game took an incredible twist.
Reading will still be without defender Jeriel Dorsett who is expected to be out injured for another couple of weeks, while centre-back Tom Holmes is likely to be out for another six weeks.
Reading predicted line-up: Button, Yiadom, Bindon, Mbengue, Mola, Savage, Wing, Knibbs, Azeez, Ehibhatiomhan, Smith
