Another good performance on the road earned the Royals a point at Oakwell.
Alert early on. Darted across his goal and made a good catch from a dipping swerving effort. Dived low to cut out a dangerous cross from McAtee without allowing any rebound.
Made a great save low to his left after tracking a cross all the way across the box shortly after Reading’s opener.
Stopped a wobbling shot and then bravely dived on the rebound, in the process taking a boot to the face and opening a gash in his forehead. After a lengthy stoppage, Pereira was able to continue with the addition of a head bandage.
Didn’t reappear after the half-time interval, probably a wise call.
Made his first league start after impressing in recent substitute appearances (and Mbengue’s social stories).
Got caught out and allowed a cross into the box when asking for a throw-in rather than watching the play. Made a brave challenge shortly after to stop Barnsley going down the wing. That summed up his performance today, but he was more than reasonable enough to make his case to be in the team.
His best moment came when he did really well as the player left at home for a Reading corner. Abrefa shepherded the ball out of play after outpacing the streaking counter attacker. Made a great burst 60 yards down the wing late on the clean up some Barnsley pressure and was unfortunate not to win a corner.
Had a literal wobble in the early moments when he blocked a hard shot with his head during Barnsley’s opening forays into the box. Recovered and showed good strength.
Made a really important sliding block in multiple different instances, as Barnsley used some nice sequences of passing play once they reached Reading’s box to create space. Put his body on the line for the team in that manner multiple times.
Responsible for the ball progression that got Wing into position for his goal, driving all the way from the centre circle to the edge of the box and skipping past two players.
Had some great moments and some poor ones today. Used his body to do enough to stop Cole shooting when deep in the centre of the box in the 11th minute.
Making a habit of making some great initial flicks from Reading’s attacking set plays to create chances (much like Smith’s goal against Bristol Rovers).
Made his worst play in weeks when he tried to shepherd the ball… or maybe earn a foul down by his own corner flag. Either way, it didn’t work and Bindon conceded a good chance.
Mostly solid and useful, just with one notable shaky spot.
Made a really important interception midway through the first half to cut out an imposing Barnsley attack. Stepped forward through a few Barnsley players nicely just after their opening goal, unfortunately seeing his shot deflected and losing potency.
Really unlucky not to score after he attacked a free-kick with a diving header and saw his effort saved at the last moment.
Got a little sloppy at times in defence, not always ensuring his simple passes would reach their intended targets. Drifted inside into midfield a lot well, but this occasionally meant him losing the ball in dangerous locations.
Better in possession than out of it, but really good in possession today.
Started deep again and helped Reading to break Barnsley’s press and sustain multiple attacks. Occasionally stepped in aggressively to earn Reading chances with Barnsley out of shape. A little scattergun with his longer deliveries today but really solid defensively.
Helped conduct a dangerous probe around the edge of the box which ended in his powerful shot going just wide of the far post in the closing stages.
Began taking a couple such sighters before scoring another belter in the 81st minute, absolutely fizzing his long shot past the keeper with so much swerve.
Seek out the behind the goal angle if you can to really appreciate Wing’s 10th goal of the season. Alongside Knibbs, crucial in keeping Reading resolute against potent opposition.
Incredibly involved in the first half, and is clearly desperate for a goal.
Came close to punishing a serious error in the early stages, when he intercepted the Barnsley Goalkeeper playing the ball out from the back.
Whipped in the corner from which Sam Smith picked up the opener. Put enough power on it to ensure it only needeed the light nod Smith provided.
Took multiple shots from both within and without the box. Often could have chosen a better option, but undeniably had some good looks. Became more frustrating with this in the second half, wasting some good opportunities with early shots when Barnsley were stretched or outnumbered.
Had his best opportunity shortly after Barnsley’s second goal, with Smith finding him on his left foot in the box. Azeez curled just wide of the far post.
Withdrawn in the final few minutes for Wareham. A difficult man to rate today, given his significant involvement but also profligacy.
Followed a series of attempted clearing headers in the box to firmly remove the ball from danger and start an attack early on.
Played Azeez into the box to help create the corner from which Smith scored the opener.
Engaged in some very neat passing on the outside of the Barnsley box after the stoppage for Pereira’s head injury. Has a real knack for controlling difficult passes from his teammates without much trouble. Earned a corner by smartly standing in the box where the goalkeeper wanted to be and forcing him to punch a cross out.
Another solid performance today, and an impressive one in terms of solidity.
Helped Reading’s press put in one of its most impressive five minutes of the season with intelligent coordinated movements. Drove into the Barnsley half well to ignite a Reading transition but couldn’t quite complete the 1-2 with Wing in the box.
Got Reading deep into the box in first half by doing really well to control Azeez’ through ball, eventually helping to create a chance in first-half injury time that Mukairu should have finished. Managed to win Reading a free-kick all the way back down by their penalty box shortly after, showing off his eternal usefulness.
Absolutely everywhere as per usual.
Took the ball down well and helped begin an attacking cycle from a goal kick in the opening 10 minutes.
Made his own opportunity on the press when he intercepted the ball and managed to drive all the way into the box. It took a good save from the 'keeper to prevent Mukairu scoring. Should’ve scored with his second similar opportunity in first-half stoppage time, being one on one with the 'keeper deep in the box.
Withdrawn just before the hour mark in one of Ruben Selles' signature subs. Involved, especially in the press, in his time on the field, but really really should have scored at least once.
Caught offside within 30 seconds today (showing his intent to get in behind perhaps?).
Got his first real shot off after taking down a ball forward and spinning well to make room. Almost got onto a signature Wing ball forwards a few minutes earlier.
Nodded in his second goal this week with a tidy near post run and simple header across the goal.
Fluffed his lines in the second half when Ehibhationhan created a goal for him from the byline, leaving Smith with a relative tap in from his cutback.
Made a fantastic chance for Azeez as the game became stretched in the late stages, running onto Mbengue’s long ball forwards and feeding Femi in the box. Kept working deep into stoppage time, earning Reading a corner with his knockdown for Wareham to challenge.
Came out into his box to claim a loose delivery from Barnsley and end an attack shortly after his introduction.
Made his first significant save after a comedy of errors allowed Barnsley a chance just yards outside of the net in the centre of the goalmouth. Tracked the ball and gratefully dived on it when it came straight to him.
Didn’t track the ball across his goal particularly well for Barnsley’s second goal but others let him down as the ball arrived too shallow in the box for him to challenge for.
Padded a deep cross away from his goal shortly after and then made a good close range stop to end that attacking sequence. A pretty reasonable performance from Button who did what we came to expect from him during the season.
Replaced Mukairu just before the hour mark. Fluffed a clearance from a corner but shortly after almost earned Reading a goal when he took it around his full back and into the box, before getting Smith free in the middle of the box.
Tried to take his own chance shortly afterward but sliced his shot wide. A dangerous option to have off the bench.
Made an important sliding challenge to slow Barnsley down on the attack shortly after coming on. Found in the box for an attack in the wild late stages but couldn’t control the ball that came in a little high.
Had two opportunities to deliver corners in injury time. Spurned the first, but delivered a good ball into the centre of the box for the second, with Knibbs heading just over.
Came on late. Helped Reading earn a corner with less than two minutes to go when he chased some head tennis out of play.
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