Middlesbrough returned to the Championship summit after securing a late victory over Reading at The Riverside Stadium.
With table toppers Burnley not in action this evening, Boro knew that victory over the mid table Royals on home soil would see the club go two points clear at the top of the table with five matches to play.
The home side dominated throughout and it took Boro just 10 minutes to make their dominance pay off when Emilio Nsue netted from close range after Jordan Rhodes’ initial effort had been saved by Ali Al-Habsi.
An entertaining encounter failed to provide any further first half goals but it was Reading who notched a surprise equaliser early in the second half when Simon Cox kept his cool to lift the ball beyond Boro keeper Dimi Konstantopoulos into the net.
Both sides searched for a winner but their efforts looked to be in vain until substitute Adam Forshaw scrambled in a winning goal for the home side in the fourth minute of second half stoppage time to spark scenes of joy in the home sections of The Riverside Stadium.
Boro’s latest victory gives the club an advantage over their automatic promotion rivals ahead of another huge league fixture at relegated Bolton Wanderers on Saturday lunchtime.
