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How dreams and aspirations change. The clash with the Gills was merely just another bread and butter league match with fans starting to dream of the prospect of playing in the promised land.
With results going the way of the Royals the side now find theselves up to sixth with over a third of the season played.
Manager Alan Pardew was pleased with his sides professional performance thatr saw them make a late smash and grab raid for another three points.
"Gillingham is a tough place to get a result but we've come here and managed to get the three points," said the Royals boss, speaking to BBC Radio Berkshire.
"It was a real tough test of our character. I said to the boys after the game today that there will be teams who come here and get a result this season but there won't be many who keep a clean sheet as we have.
"We showed all the necessary character and resilliance today needed to deal with their thrusts and aggression.
Reading won the game with a late strike from Anthony Rougier. The former Port Vale man was on hand to steer Nicky Forster's low cross in from close range.
Pardew added: "I was really disappointed we didn't score beforew we did. The key was we had fourteen players today. The three subs who came on just swung it back for us and perhaps it would have been 0-0 if it wasn't for them.
"A couple of people saidd to me that Nicky Forster had a reason to play well today but he's been like that all season and in all the games. He learnt his trade here, it's a good club, they taught him well and we're getting the benefits."