Match ends, Reading 3, Rotherham United 0.
Reading 3-0 Rotherham United
- From the section Football
Simon Cox scored two second-half goals as Reading secured their second win in nine Championship matches.
Jamie Mackie put the Royals in front by curling in a shot to score his first goal for the club since arriving on a season's loan from Nottingham Forest.
Oliver Norwood hit the bar for Reading with a free-kick before half-time.
But Cox ran on to Mackie's pass to score their second in the 55th minute, before wrapping up victory with a clever cross-shot on the turn.
Reading manager Nigel Adkins, who gave a debut to former QPR centre-back Anton Ferdinand, was able to enjoy a comfortable victory that lifted his side to 13th place, six points from a play-off spot.
Rotherham gave Ferdinand and his Reading defensive colleagues some early problems, with goalkeeper Adam Federici tested by Matt Derbyshire's firm header from a Paul Green cross.
But the home side went ahead when Stephen Kelly crossed from the right and Scotland forward Mackie, after a heavy first touch, recovered well to turn and curl a fine shot past Adam Collin.
The Rotherham keeper then produced two agile saves - one to stop Cox's fierce shot, the second to deny Mackie - but could only watch as Norwood's free-kick from wide out on the left struck the bar.
The visitors responded briefly, when Federici saved a direct header from Kari Arnason, but Reading settled the game with two goals in nine minutes.
Mackie ran through the tiring Rotherham defence to set up Cox, who finished precisely.
Then Mackie played provider for Republic of Ireland international Cox to swivel and score his seventh goal of the season.
Reading ran down the clock thereafter, with Rotherham unable to pose any problems as they fell to a second successive 3-0 defeat.
Reading manager Nigel Adkins, who recalled Jamie Mackie and Simon Cox after dropping them for Saturday's 3-1 defeat at Blackburn: "I hope Jamie and Simon have got the bit between their teeth now.
"Jamie's been top drawer for us and he's done tonight exactly what I told him last Friday he was going to do.
"In fact, we should have scored some more goals. Their keeper's made some great saves. We created some great opportunities."
Rotherham manager Steve Evans: "We lacked almost everything from start to finish. There was nothing good about our game at all.
"If you are not prepared to play at this level, then you must prepare to fail at this level. We were poor all over the pitch. There was a lack of endeavour, spirit and fight."
Line-ups
Reading
- 1Federici
- 2GunterBooked at 89mins
- 4FerdinandSubstituted forHectorat 45'minutes
- 5Pearce
- 3Kelly
- 19Mackie
- 6Norwood
- 23WilliamsSubstituted forAkpanat 68'minutesBooked at 71mins
- 11Obita
- 10CoxSubstituted forTaylorat 90'minutes
- 20Murray
Substitutes
- 9Robson-Kanu
- 15Hector
- 16Akpan
- 22Blackman
- 25Taylor
- 31Andersen
- 35Cooper
Rotherham
- 21Collin
- 16Richardson
- 20MorganBooked at 44mins
- 4ArnasonBooked at 70minsSubstituted forMilsomat 76'minutes
- 3SkarzSubstituted forBroadfootat 67'minutes
- 18Pringle
- 11Green
- 8FrecklingtonSubstituted forBoweryat 67'minutes
- 33Smallwood
- 9Revell
- 27Derbyshire
Substitutes
- 1Loach
- 5Broadfoot
- 10Bowery
- 15Milsom
- 25Swift
- 26Taylor
- 29Clarke-Harris
- Referee:
- Pat Miller
- Attendance:
- 13,775
Match Stats
Home TeamReadingAway TeamRotherham
- Possession
- Home49%
- Away51%
- Shots
- Home13
- Away8
- Shots on Target
- Home5
- Away4
- Corners
- Home8
- Away5
- Fouls
- Home15
- Away12
Live Text
Full Time
Second Half ends, Reading 3, Rotherham United 0.
Foul by Jamie Mackie (Reading).
Kirk Broadfoot (Rotherham United) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
Substitution
Substitution, Reading. Jake Taylor replaces Simon Cox.
Booking
Chris Gunter (Reading) is shown the yellow card.
Matt Derbyshire (Rotherham United) wins a free kick on the right wing.
Foul by Alex Pearce (Reading).
Glenn Murray (Reading) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
Foul by Richard Smallwood (Rotherham United).
Attempt missed. Glenn Murray (Reading) right footed shot from outside the box is too high. Assisted by Michael Hector.
Attempt blocked. Hope Akpan (Reading) right footed shot from outside the box is blocked.
Attempt missed. Michael Hector (Reading) header from very close range misses to the left. Assisted by Oliver Norwood with a cross following a set piece situation.
Foul by Craig Morgan (Rotherham United).
Glenn Murray (Reading) wins a free kick in the attacking half.
Foul by Alex Revell (Rotherham United).
Michael Hector (Reading) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
Attempt missed. Michael Hector (Reading) right footed shot from outside the box misses to the left following a corner.
Corner, Reading. Conceded by Frazer Richardson.
Corner, Reading. Conceded by Frazer Richardson.
Foul by Frazer Richardson (Rotherham United).
Jordan Obita (Reading) wins a free kick on the left wing.
Attempt missed. Jamie Mackie (Reading) right footed shot from outside the box is close, but misses to the right. Assisted by Simon Cox.
Substitution
Substitution, Rotherham United. Robert Milsom replaces Kári Arnason.
Corner, Rotherham United. Conceded by Alex Pearce.
Attempt blocked. Matt Derbyshire (Rotherham United) right footed shot from more than 35 yards is blocked.
Kirk Broadfoot (Rotherham United) wins a free kick on the left wing.
Foul by Simon Cox (Reading).
Booking
Hope Akpan (Reading) is shown the yellow card for a bad foul.
Richard Smallwood (Rotherham United) wins a free kick in the attacking half.
Foul by Hope Akpan (Reading).
Booking
Kári Arnason (Rotherham United) is shown the yellow card.
Foul by Kári Arnason (Rotherham United).
Jamie Mackie (Reading) wins a free kick on the right wing.
Attempt saved. Alex Revell (Rotherham United) right footed shot from outside the box is saved in the bottom left corner. Assisted by Matt Derbyshire.
Substitution
Substitution, Reading. Hope Akpan replaces Daniel Williams.
Substitution
Substitution, Rotherham United. Jordan Bowery replaces Lee Frecklington.
Substitution
Substitution, Rotherham United. Kirk Broadfoot replaces Joe Skarz.
Goal!
Goal! Reading 3, Rotherham United 0. Simon Cox (Reading) right footed shot from the centre of the box to the top left corner. Assisted by Oliver Norwood.
Foul by Alex Revell (Rotherham United).