Royals march on

Reading barely had to move out of first gear to send in-form Burnley the way of all other visitors to the Madejski Stadium this season with a 3-1 win. Noel Hunt bravely headed in the first after 4 minutes from a Jimmy Kebe cross and received what looked like a stray elbow for his troubles. Shane Long replaced Hunt who was deemed unfit to continue and in truth Burnley probably had the better of the rest of the half without ever really threatening to score. A rejuvenated Reading were far more positive after the break and got their just reward when Stephen Hunt headed in from a wonderful pinpoint Kebe cross. Excellent work from Kevin Doyle set up Shane Long for a well deserved third. It probaby should have been more with Kebe spurning a good chance to open his account. The visitors got a consolation only after we were reduced to ten men due to an injury to Kebe. The teams finished the game with ten men each when Stephen Jordan received a second yellow late on.

Burnley were a reasonably tidy outfit who lacked any real cutting edge; only when new signing Chris Eagles appeared half way through the second half did they pose any real threat. They came with a useful Championship reputation and left well beaten. On current form it's difficult to see how anyone in this division can live with us; we go into the International break looking very much like the team to beat. It's a good time to be a Reading fan.