Reading twice battled back from behind to boost their survival bid with a 2-2 draw at promotion-chasing Peterborough.
Femi Azeez was the star man for Ruben Selles’ strugglers as he laid on Sam Smith’s first equaliser and then struck the second himself late on.
League One top scorers Posh hit the front six minutes before half-time when Josh Knight claimed his first goal of the campaign by heading in a Joel Randall corner.
Posh had two big penalty appeals ignored by referee David Rock in the first half and then saw a second goal from Hector Kyprianou disallowed for offside just before the hour.
There was soon further dismay for the home side as Reading levelled when substitute Smith squeezed the ball in off the post after being picked out by Azeez’s 63rd-minute cutback.
Only the frame of the goal prevented the Royals from completing a rapid turnaround as Azeez thundered a long-range blast against a post moments later.
Posh regained the initiative as leading scorer Ephron Mason-Clark rifled a low shot past David Button after Harrison Burrows laid the ball perfectly into his path in the 69th minute.
But it was not enough to secure success as Reading refused to roll over – and they got their reward in the 85th minute when Azeez fired home on the half-volley after Harvey Knibbs steered a Clinton Mola cross to him.
Match report supplied by PA Media.
Line-ups
Peterborough
Formation 4-2-3-1
- 1Bilokapic
- 30Kioso
- 5Knight
- 4Edwards
- 3Burrows
- 22Kyprianou
- 27Collins
- 11Poku
- 14RandallSubstituted forAjiboyeat 80′minutes
- 10Mason-ClarkBooked at 76mins
- 17JonesSubstituted forMothersilleat 86′minutes
Substitutes
- 2Katongo
- 6Crichlow
- 8De Havilland
- 9Clarke-Harris
- 16Ajiboye
- 18Mothersille
- 25Talley
Reading
Formation 4-1-4-1
- 1Button
- 27MbengueBooked at 56minsSubstituted forMolaat 60′minutes
- 3Holmes
- 32Abbey
- 20Dorsett
- 36Craig
- 11Azeez
- 29Wing
- 7KnibbsBooked at 90mins
- 12MukairuSubstituted forElliottat 61′minutes
- 15EhibhatiomhanSubstituted forSmithat 54′minutesBooked at 90mins
Substitutes
- 2Mola
- 4Elliott
- 8Savage
- 10Smith
- 22Castro Pereira
- 24Bindon
- 42Vickers
Live Text
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Match ends, Peterborough United 2, Reading 2.
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Second Half ends, Peterborough United 2, Reading 2.
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Attempt blocked. Harrison Burrows (Peterborough United) left footed shot from a difficult angle on the left is blocked.
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Attempt blocked. Kwame Poku (Peterborough United) right footed shot from the left side of the box is blocked. Assisted by David Ajiboye.
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Corner, Peterborough United. Conceded by Clinton Mola.
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David Ajiboye (Peterborough United) wins a free kick on the right wing.
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Foul by Jeriel Dorsett (Reading).
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Hand ball by Harrison Burrows (Peterborough United).
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Harvey Knibbs (Reading) is shown the yellow card for a bad foul.
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Josh Knight (Peterborough United) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
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Foul by Harvey Knibbs (Reading).
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Sam Smith (Reading) is shown the yellow card for a bad foul.
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Peter Kioso (Peterborough United) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
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Foul by Sam Smith (Reading).
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Archie Collins (Peterborough United) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
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Foul by Harvey Knibbs (Reading).
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Substitution, Peterborough United. Malik Mothersille replaces Ricky-Jade Jones.
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Goal! Peterborough United 2, Reading 2. Femi Azeez (Reading) left footed shot from the centre of the box to the top right corner. Assisted by Harvey Knibbs.
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Foul by Hector Kyprianou (Peterborough United).
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Ben Elliott (Reading) wins a free kick in the attacking half.
Olivia Martin is a dedicated sports journalist based in the UK. With a passion for various athletic disciplines, she covers everything from major league championships to local sports events, delivering up-to-the-minute updates and in-depth analysis.