Reading rack up fourth straight win by brushing aside Burton
Reading maintained their impressive form with a comfortable 3-0 home victory over lowly Burton Albion.
Goals from Dominic Samuel, his first for the club, and Danny Williams gave Reading a healthy half-time lead.
Although Burton improved after the break, they were made to pay for poor finishing when Reading made it 3-0 in the 77th minute - through a John Brayford own goal - and secured their fourth successive win.
In-form Reading went into the match on the back of consecutive victories over Rotherham, Nottingham Forest and Wigan, with six goals scored and none conceded.
Burton, promoted from League One last season, had won only two of their previous 11 matches before the visit to Madejski Stadium and had not won away in eight attempts this season.
However, Burton began brightly and were the first to threaten when Jackson Irvine nodded over after a fine cross from Lloyd Dyer.
Reading replied when 22-year-old Samuel, making his first Championship start, drove into the side-netting after latching on to a deflected pass from Paul McShane.
Burton went close from a Matty Palmer corner, with Chris O'Grady's firm goalbound header nodded off the line by Williams.
But Reading rode their luck and went ahead in the 22nd minute.
Roy Beerens cut inside from the left flank and miscued a shot across goal, but Samuel was on hand to tap in at the far post.
Seven minutes later Reading increased their lead from a similar move.
Garath McCleary won possession in midfield and fed Jordan Obita, whose low cross from the left was guided home by Williams via the crossbar.
McShane could have added a third before half-time, but his header from McCleary's corner was blocked near the goalline.
McCleary should have done better, early in the second half, when he volleyed wildly over the crossbar from an Obita cross.
And he missed another decent chance soon after
Samuel laid the ball back from the byline, but McCleary again skied his effort over the bar.
Despite having a large amount of possession, Burton failed to do much with it
Home goalkeeper Ali Al Habsi was rarely tested.
A weak attempt from Irvine was easily gathered by Al Habsi and then O'Grady twice wasted good openings due to poor shot selection.
As Reading sat back, apparently content with what they had, Palmer let fly from 25 yards, the ball narrowly missing a post with Al Habsi beaten.
Al Habsi then saved well from a Will Miller long-ranger before Reading made it safe 13 minutes from time.
Substitute Yakou Meite forced a good save from Burton keeper Jon McLaughlin, but the loose ball then cruelly rebounded over the line off helpless defender Brayson.
Source : PA
Source: PA