Match ends, Reading 2, Rotherham United 1.
ReadingReading2RotherhamRotherham United1
Reading came from behind to beat relegated Rotherham and solidify their place in the Championship play-offs.
Tom Adeyemi gave Rotherham a surprise lead in the 19th minute when he turned in a rebound from keeper Ali Al-Habsi.
Lewis Grabban swept in a powerful volley to level against his former club just two minutes after coming on.
The hosts completed the comeback when John Swift turned in Chris Gunter's cross at the back post to move past Huddersfield into third place.
The Terriers will have a chance to reclaim their position when they play Derby at 17:00 BST, but with Sheffield Wednesday and Fulham both winning, this was an important result for Jaap Stam's side.
Reading were made to work for their win, with Rotherham, who had taken just one point from their last 22 away league games, going in front when Adeyemi bundled in a rebound from Josh Morris' initial header.
The hosts responded with Yakou Meite threatening and Millers defender Semi Ajayi producing a goal-saving challenge on Swift to keep out a rebound off goalkeeper Richard O'Donnell.
Roy Beerens, Yann Kermorgant and Swift all had chances before the one-way traffic finally told; Grabban running onto Garath McCleary's deep cross to smash it low past O'Donnell.
Gunter then overlapped and squared for Swift to tap in and make it 2-1, extending Rotherham's rotten form and keeping Reading in the mix for promotion.
Reading manager Jaap Stam:
"We need our fans even more when we are behind. They need to know that they should support their team, not boo them, when they come off the pitch.
"Compared to what the team has done in the past two seasons, they should appreciate what the players are now doing for them. But if they react like that, I'm not very happy with it.
"The fans need to stick with their team and help them out."
Rotherham manager Paul Warne:
"We tried to keep it and cause Reading problems. To go in 1-0 up at half-time was a good thing.
"I thought that if we could ride the first 20 minutes of the second half, we might be able to get a positive result and then Grabban comes on and scores a worldie and Reading put a lot of pressure on us.
"We didn't keep the ball as well in the second half. We didn't have the ball a lot and when we did get it back, we were a bit fatigued."
Line-ups
Reading
Formation 4-2-3-1
- 26Al Habsi
- 2Gunter
- 16Moore
- 24Blackett
- 11Obita
- 8Swift
- 23Williams
- 19MeiteSubstituted forKellyat 45'minutes
- 7BeerensSubstituted forGrabbanat 65'minutes
- 12McClearySubstituted forPopaat 90+1'minutes
- 18Kermorgant
Substitutes
- 6Evans
- 20Ilori
- 25Popa
- 31Jaakkola
- 32Oxford
- 38Kelly
- 50Grabban
Rotherham
Formation 4-1-4-1
- 18O'Donnell
- 17FisherSubstituted forClarke-Harrisat 74'minutes
- 15Ajayi
- 6Wood
- 3MattockBooked at 85mins
- 33Smallwood
- 11Taylor
- 24AdeyemiSubstituted forYatesat 83'minutes
- 4VaulksBooked at 17mins
- 9Ward
- 10MorrisSubstituted forNewellat 58'minutes
Substitutes
- 19Clarke-Harris
- 22Newell
- 26Belaid
- 27Bray
- 30Purrington
- 39Yates
- 45Bilboe
- Referee:
- Chris Kavanagh
- Attendance:
- 16,711
Match Stats
Home TeamReadingAway TeamRotherham
- Possession
- Home74%
- Away26%
- Shots
- Home16
- Away6
- Shots on Target
- Home9
- Away3
- Corners
- Home13
- Away4
- Fouls
- Home8
- Away13
Live Text
Post update
Full Time
Second Half ends, Reading 2, Rotherham United 1.
Post update
Corner, Reading. Conceded by Richard O'Donnell.
Post update
Attempt saved. Danny Williams (Reading) right footed shot from outside the box is saved in the bottom left corner.
Post update
Adrian Popa (Reading) wins a free kick on the right wing.
Post update
Foul by Joe Mattock (Rotherham United).
Substitution
Substitution, Reading. Adrian Popa replaces Garath McCleary.
Post update
Hand ball by Yann Kermorgant (Reading).
Post update
Offside, Rotherham United. Joe Newell tries a through ball, but Jonson Clarke-Harris is caught offside.
Post update
John Swift (Reading) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
Post update
Foul by Joe Newell (Rotherham United).
Post update
Foul by Tyler Blackett (Reading).
Post update
Jonson Clarke-Harris (Rotherham United) wins a free kick on the right wing.
Post update
Attempt saved. Lewis Grabban (Reading) right footed shot from the centre of the box is saved in the top centre of the goal. Assisted by Garath McCleary with a cross.
Booking
Joe Mattock (Rotherham United) is shown the yellow card for a bad foul.
Post update
Danny Williams (Reading) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
Post update
Foul by Joe Mattock (Rotherham United).
Substitution
Substitution, Rotherham United. Jerry Yates replaces Tom Adeyemi.
Post update
Hand ball by Joe Newell (Rotherham United).
Post update
Foul by Liam Moore (Reading).
