Birmingham City 1-2 Reading

Captain Jobi McAnuff scored twice to move Reading into the play-off places and inflict more home woe on struggling Birmingham in the process.

McAnuff opened the scoring against the run of play, finding the bottom corner before the break after the hosts failed to clear a Royston Drenthe cross.

Birmingham quickly equalised through a Paul Caddis penalty after Callum Reilly was fouled by Kaspars Gorkss.

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Post-match: Birmingham boss Clark

But McAnuff converted Chris Gunter's low cross to secure a late win.

The victory ensured Reading capitalised on Nottingham Forest's heavy 5-0 defeat by Derby to leapfrog the Midlanders in the table and occupy the sixth and final play-off spot.

At the other end of the table, Birmingham are five points clear of the relegation zone and remain without a home win since October.

The Blues have now lost four of their last five games, with their last win a 2-1 victory at Blackpool on 22 February.

Birmingham began well, with Federico Macheda forcing Alex McCarthy into a reflex save. But after a promising period, the hosts fell behind.

Drenthe made inroads down the right for Reading before crossing into the box and when the home side failed to clear, McAnuff had time and space to hit the target.

Four minutes later, however, parity was restored as Gorkss was penalised for tripping Reilly inside the box. Referee Dean Whitestone pointed to the spot and Caddis levelled.

Birmingham were lively going forward and Macheda again went close, heading onto the crossbar.

But Reading were more clinical in front of goal and McAnuff struck at the far post eight minutes from time to earn his team a valuable win.

Birmingham manager Lee Clark:

"I feel really disappointed for the players because the one result that shouldn't have happened was a defeat for us.

"The minimum we should have got was a point. We played good stuff, we competed with a really good team and it's tough for the players to take.

"We have to regroup. There were a lot of positives to take from this but the lads are hurting and it's a quiet dressing room."

Reading manager Nigel Adkins:

"They were two excellent goals and, watching it back, two excellent footballing goals.

"I'm surprised [McAnuff] hasn't scored more and it's not as if he's not had chances but it's great that he's gone and scored them here and all being well he'll go on a nice run now.

"We wanted to win the division but great credit to Leicester and Burnley for what they've done so far this season. We're in the play-off race and it's a very exciting time in the season for everybody."

• Line-ups
• Match Stats
• Live Text

Line-ups

Birmingham

• 1Randolph
• 31Caddis
• 17Reilly
• 36HuwsSubstituted forBlackettat 29'minutes
• 14Packwood
• 4Robinson
• 7Burke
• 23Spector
• 9Macheda
• 12NovakSubstituted forIbeat 45'minutesBooked at 71mins
• 22ShinnieSubstituted forZigicat 76'minutes

Substitutes

• 8Ibe
• 11Lovenkrands
• 13Doyle
• 19Zigic
• 20Lee
• 35Rusnák
• 37Blackett

Reading

• 21McCarthy
• 2Gunter
• 37Obita
• 20GuthrieBooked at 67mins
• 5Pearce
• 17Gorkss
• 19Robson-KanuSubstituted forMcClearyat 55'minutes
• 16Akpan
• 9Le FondreSubstituted forPogrebnyakat 55'minutes
• 10DrentheSubstituted forBlackmanat 87'minutes
• 11McAnuff

Substitutes

• 1Federici
• 3Kelly
• 7Pogrebnyak
• 12McCleary
• 22Blackman
• 25Taylor
• 35Hector

Referee:

Dean Whitestone

Attendance:

13,409

Match Stats

Home TeamBirminghamAway TeamReading

Possession

Home44%

Away56%

Shots

Home20

Away17

Shots on Target

Home6

Away4

Corners

Home8

Away2

Fouls

Home11

Away10

Live Text

Posted at

Match ends, Birmingham City 1, Reading 2.

Full Time

Posted at 90'+4'

Second Half ends, Birmingham City 1, Reading 2.

Posted at 90'+3'

Foul by Garath McCleary (Reading).

Posted at 90'+3'

Jordon Ibe (Birmingham City) wins a free kick in the defensive half.

Posted at 90'+3'

Nick Blackman (Reading) wins a free kick in the attacking half.

Posted at 90'+3'

Foul by Callum Reilly (Birmingham City).

Posted at 90'+1'

Corner, Birmingham City. Conceded by Kaspars Gorkss.

Posted at 90'+1'

Attempt blocked. Chris Burke (Birmingham City) right footed shot from outside the box is blocked. Assisted by Nikola Zigic.

Posted at 90'

Corner, Birmingham City. Conceded by Alex McCarthy.

Posted at 90'

Attempt saved. Nikola Zigic (Birmingham City) header from the centre of the box is saved in the bottom right corner. Assisted by Chris Burke with a cross.

Posted at 88'

Offside, Birmingham City. Darren Randolph tries a through ball, but Federico Macheda is caught offside.

Substitution

Posted at 87'

Substitution, Reading. Nick Blackman replaces Royston Drenthe.

Posted at 84'

Offside, Reading. Alex McCarthy tries a through ball, but Pavel Pogrebnyak is caught offside.

Goal!

Posted at 82'

Goal! Birmingham City 1, Reading 2. Jobi McAnuff (Reading) left footed shot from very close range to the high centre of the goal. Assisted by Chris Gunter following a fast break.

Posted at 80'

Attempt missed. Pavel Pogrebnyak (Reading) left footed shot from the centre of the box is too high.

Posted at 80'

Attempt saved. Chris Gunter (Reading) right footed shot from very close range is saved in the centre of the goal.

Posted at 80'

Attempt saved. Jobi McAnuff (Reading) right footed shot from outside the box is saved in the centre of the goal. Assisted by Danny Guthrie.

Posted at 78'

Attempt missed. Alex Pearce (Reading) header from the right side of the six yard box is close, but misses to the right. Assisted by Danny Guthrie with a cross following a set piece situation.

Posted at 78'

Royston Drenthe (Reading) wins a free kick in the attacking half.

Posted at 78'

Foul by Paul Robinson (Birmingham City).

Posted at 77'

Attempt missed. Jordon Ibe (Birmingham City) right footed shot from the left side of the box is high and wide to the right. Assisted by Nikola Zigic with a headed pass following a set piece situation.

Posted at 77'

Offside, Reading. Jordan Obita tries a through ball, but Pavel Pogrebnyak is caught offside.

Substitution

Posted at 76'

Substitution, Birmingham City. Nikola Zigic replaces Andrew Shinnie.

Posted at 74'

Attempt blocked. Federico Macheda (Birmingham City) left footed shot from the right side of the box is blocked. Assisted by Chris Burke.

Posted at 74'

Attempt blocked. Jordon Ibe (Birmingham City) right footed shot from the left side of the box is blocked. Assisted by Paul Caddis.

Posted at 72'

Attempt missed. Jordan Obita (Reading) right footed shot from the centre of the box is close, but misses to the right. Assisted by Chris Gunter with a cross.

Posted at 72'

Pavel Pogrebnyak (Reading) wins a free kick in the attacking half.

Posted at 72'

Foul by Will Packwood (Birmingham City).

Booking

Posted at 71'

Jordon Ibe (Birmingham City) is shown the yellow card for a bad foul.

Posted at 71'

Chris Gunter (Reading) wins a free kick in the defensive half.

Posted at 71'

Foul by Jordon Ibe (Birmingham City).

Posted at 70'

Corner, Birmingham City. Conceded by Alex McCarthy.

Posted at 70'

Attempt saved. Chris Burke (Birmingham City) left footed shot from a difficult angle on the left is saved in the bottom left corner. Assisted by Jordon Ibe.

Posted at 69'

Attempt missed. Alex Pearce (Reading) header from the left side of the six yard box is close, but misses to the right. Assisted by Danny Guthrie with a cross following a corner.

Posted at 69'

Corner, Reading. Conceded by Darren Randolph.

Posted at 69'

Attempt blocked. Kaspars Gorkss (Reading) header from very close range is blocked. Assisted by Danny Guthrie with a cross.

Posted at 68'

Corner, Reading. Conceded by Paul Caddis.

Booking

Posted at 67'

Danny Guthrie (Reading) is shown the yellow card for a bad foul.

Posted at 66'

Foul by Danny Guthrie (Reading).

Posted at 66'

Chris Burke (Birmingham City) wins a free kick in the defensive half.

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