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Reading leapfrogged Nottingham Forest in the Championship table with a 3-2 win at the City Ground on Friday night despite having Chris Gunter sent off.

The visitors raced to a two-goal lead thorugh Pavel Pogrebnyak and Kaspar Gorkss – Simon Cox and Darius Henderson leveled for the hosts before Jordan Obita struck with just over quarter of an hour remaining.

Royals manager Nigel Adkins praised match winner Obita – who struck his first goal for the club – but was left puzzled and frustrated by the late dismissal of former Forest fullback Gunter, who he defended.

Speaking after the game, former Southampton boss Adkins said:

“It was a very good performance – we started on the front foot. At two up we were the dominant force, but a lapse before half time allowed them to get back into the game.

“It was a great goal from Jordan Obita when the game was in the balance.

Jordan Obita’s first goal for Reading settled an absorbing Championship encounter at the City Ground as Nottingham Forest’s opponents went above them in the table.

Two goals inside the first 15 minutes from Pavel Pogrebnyak and Kaspars Gorkss were cancelled out by Simon Cox and Darius Henderson strikes either side of half time.

Winger obita snached all three points for the visotors, however, and they hung on as Chris Gunter was sent off against his former club.

Reds boss Billy Davies made one enforced changed to the team that started the battling draw with table toppers Burnley. Captain Chris Cohen picked up a serious knee ligament injury, so Dan Harding deputized at left back. Greg Halford and Andy Reid were fit only for the bench after injury

Royals manager Nigel Adkins meanwhile made two changes after the goalless draw at Blackburn Rovers. Chris Baird missed out with an ankle...

Nottingham Forest vs Reading

Friday, 29 November 2013

City Ground, Nottingham

Kick-off: 19:45 GMT

Referee: Stuart Attwell

Reading travel to Nottingham Forest on Friday knowing a win would take them above their opponents and into the SkyBet Championship playoff places ahead of the weekend’s fixtures.

The Royals come to the City Ground without a win in four matches and an away record of just two points from their last 12, however. Nigel Adkins’s outfit have only gone back to Berkshire with all three points from one of their last five visits to Nottingham.

Hosts Forest meanwhile can temporarily climb a place to fourth with a point or better. Billy Davies’s side are buoyed by a recent victory at East Midlands rivals Leicester City and a battling draw with table toppers Burnley last time out.

Team News

Forest captain Chris Cohen is out for the rest of the season after damaging...

When the 2012/2013 Premier League season fixtures were announced, many fans started their careers as Mystic Meg replacements. Who would win the League? Who would go down? Many said Reading were in there ‘doomed’ three. Written off before the season had been played out and I’m sorry to say to Reading fans for good reason. I have nothing against Reading and I really enjoyed watching their run in the Championship under Brian McDermott, whom I respect as a Manager; although I do believe they were doomed from the outset.

When Reading were promoted from the Championship, it’d be fair to say that a surge of wins got them there. They were rated at 12/1 to be promoted, not win the Championship but for promotion. The Bookies thought that West Ham, Leicester & Birmingham were better bets for promotion. So in reality, they were outside the ‘main’ three teams of who the bookies thought would go up.

Home Nations rivals Scotland and Wales will face-off tomorrow at Hampden Park, with both sides needing a win to keep any hope alive of qualifying for the 2014 World Cup in Brazil.

The two bottom sides in Group A met last October at the Millenium Stadium with Wales emerging victorious thanks to a Gareth Bale double. James Morrison had earlier scored for the Scots and Steven Fletcher had a goal disallowed but like much of Craig Levein’s tenure as Scotland manager luck was not on their side.

Chris Coleman also has not endured the best of times as a national team manager. However, he picked up his second win as Wales manager in February when Austria were beaten 2-1. This gives them some momentum going into this match. Scotland also have a new sense of optimism with former Celtic boss Gordon Strachan now at the helm and he will be...

This fixture was last played four years ago in the Premier League. Villa won 3-1 thanks to a John Carew brace. And what we wouldn’t have given for more than one goal as both teams played very poor football in what was a boring match. Neither Reading nor Aston Villa would look out of place in the championship as both squads have little quality and are built on defensive stability. One of the best players on the park, however, was Villa frontman Christian Benteke. His 80th minute header was the difference between the two sides and he showed that he is a class above the majority of players on the park.

Aston Villa made two changes to the team that drew 0-0 with Arsenal. Karim El-Ahmadi and Ron Vlaar were replaced by youngsters Ashley Westwood and Nathan Baker. Villa played a 4-2-3-1 formation.

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England recorded an unimpressive win to lift the Wembley curse and practically guarantee their place at Euro 2012. A first half goal from Ashley Young ensured victory, but Wales will be wondering what could have been after Robert Earnshaw missed an absolute sitter late on in the game. The visitors equipped themselves well, looking particularly dangerous in the second half and will count themselves extremely unlucky to come away with nothing.

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