New Port Vale manager Darren Moore suffered his second successive defeat since taking charge when his relegation-threatened side lost 2-0 in their rescheduled League One match at Reading.
In a scrappy first period, Reading produced the best attempt when Vale keeper Connor Ripley had to make a fine save from Kelvin Ehibhatiomhan.
The home side’s constant second-half pressure eventually paid off with late goals from Lewis Wing and Harvey Knibbs.
Vale’s original fixture at the Select Car Leasing Stadium on 13 January was abandoned after only 16 minutes, with the score at 0-0, when around 1,000 home fans invaded the pitch in protest at Reading owner Dai Yongge.
Andy Crosby, at the helm for the abandoned game, was sacked earlier this month and replaced by former Huddersfield boss Moore, whose first match ended in a 3-2 defeat at Cheltenham on Saturday.
Vale, without a win in their seven previous outings, produced little in the opening half and Reading should have gone in front when a free header from Ehibhatiomhan forced Ripley into an agile close-range stop.
Reading pushed for the winner in the second half, with Vale hanging on grimly, and the ever-alert Ripley was finally beaten when, following a goalmouth scramble in the Vale area, Wing powered home a fierce low drive in the 76th minute.
Seven minutes later, Knibbs pounced after another chaotic scramble for his 13th goal of the season.
Match report supplied by PA Media.
Line-ups
Reading
Formation 4-2-3-1
- 1Button
- 17Yiadom
- 27Mbengue
- 24Bindon
- 2Mola
- 29Wing
- 36CraigSubstituted forSavageat 45′minutes
- 11Azeez
- 7Knibbs
- 15EhibhatiomhanSubstituted forElliottat 60′minutes
- 10Smith
Substitutes
- 4Elliott
- 8Savage
- 12Mukairu
- 14Monlouis
- 19Wareham
- 22Castro Pereira
- 30Abrefa
Port Vale
Formation 4-2-3-1
- 1Ripley
- 4Sang
- 6Smith
- 27Debrah
- 3JonesSubstituted forGrantat 59′minutes
- 16Lowe
- 14Ojo
- 10ChislettSubstituted forGarrityat 73′minutes
- 20Weir
- 11MightenSubstituted forMasseyat 73′minutes
- 9LoftSubstituted forWilsonat 77′minutes
Substitutes
- 8Garrity
- 13Leutwiler
- 15Grant
- 17Iacovitti
- 19Massey
- 25Dipepa
- 29Wilson
Live Text
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Match ends, Reading 2, Port Vale 0.
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Second Half ends, Reading 2, Port Vale 0.
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Offside, Reading. Ben Elliott is caught offside.
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Attempt missed. Jesse Debrah (Port Vale) header from outside the box misses to the right. Assisted by Funso Ojo following a set piece situation.
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Foul by Lewis Wing (Reading).
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Funso Ojo (Port Vale) wins a free kick on the left wing.
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Attempt missed. Jason Lowe (Port Vale) right footed shot from the centre of the box is too high. Assisted by Jensen Weir following a corner.
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Corner, Port Vale. Conceded by Amadou Salif Mbengue.
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Lewis Wing (Reading) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
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Foul by Conor Grant (Port Vale).
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Offside, Reading. Sam Smith is caught offside.
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Goal! Reading 2, Port Vale 0. Harvey Knibbs (Reading) left footed shot from very close range to the high centre of the goal.
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Attempt saved. Sam Smith (Reading) left footed shot from the centre of the box is saved in the bottom right corner.
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Attempt blocked. Ben Elliott (Reading) right footed shot from very close range is blocked.
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Femi Azeez (Reading) hits the bar with a left footed shot from outside the box. Assisted by Harvey Knibbs.
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Substitution, Port Vale. James Wilson replaces Ryan Loft.
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Goal! Reading 1, Port Vale 0. Lewis Wing (Reading) right footed shot from outside the box to the bottom left corner following a corner.
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Corner, Reading. Conceded by Conor Grant.
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Substitution, Port Vale. Ben Garrity replaces Ethan Chislett.
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Substitution, Port Vale. Gavin Massey replaces Alex Mighten.
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.
