Reading staged a late comeback to take a point at home in their Premier League match against Chelsea this evening.
The Royals defended well throughout the first half, but a Juan Mata goal on the stroke of half time put the visitors ahead.
Frank Lampard doubled the advantage for Chelsea, seemingly putting the game beyond the home side.
However, Adam Le Fondre came off the bench to score two late goals to level the scores and lift Reading out of the relegation zone.
Read how all the action unfolded below:
Good evening. It's less than an hour until the action gets underway at the Madejski Stadium for Reading's game against Chelsea in the Premier League.
A win for Chelsea this evening will close the gap to second-placed Manchester City to four points, after the reigning Premier League champions were held by QPR last night.
Meanwhile, three points would lift Reading above Wigan and out of the bottom three, two points clear of the relegation zone.
We're still waiting for the team news for tonight's game, but the visitors will be without regular first-choice goalkeeper Petr Cech, who is ruled out through injury, while David Luiz is also a doubt.
Both teams were in action at the weekend in the FA Cup against League One opposition with mixed results. Reading had a comfortable 4-0 win over Sheffield United, but Chelsea had to come from behind to force a replay against Brentford.
CHELSEA STARTING XI: Turnbull, Azpilicueta, Ivanovic, Cahill, Cole, Ramires, Lampard, Oscar, Mata, Bertrand, Torres.
CHELSEA BENCH: Hilario, Ferreira, Terry, Ake, Benayoun, Marin, Ba
READING STARTING XI: Federici, Harte, Kelly, Pearce, Mariappa, Leigertwood, Guthrie, Karacan, McAnuff, Kebe, Pogrebnyak
READING BENCH! Taylor, Shorey, Morrison, Akpan, Robson-Kanu, McCleary, Le Fondre
The big news for Chelsea is back-to-back start for Fernando Torres, who keeps Demba Ba on the bench. Club captain John Terry is also among the substitutes, having recently recovered from a knee injury.
Jimmy Kebe was rested against Sheffield United at the weekend, but comes back in to the side tonight for Reading. Adam Le Fondre misses out.
Ryan Bertrand, who starts for Chelsea this evening, previously had a loan spell at the Royals, making 44 appearances for the club.
Great stat courtesy of Reading's official Twitter account; this will be the Royal's 100th game in the Premier League!
Ahead of the game, Chelsea manager Rafael Benitez told the club's website: "Reading are battling to avoid relegation and it will be difficult.
"We know they have a team that plays with intensity but we have to be ready and we have been training carefully and preparing everything."
Meanwhile, Brian McDermott told the Reading website: "We're working really hard with the group, we're getting better as a group and we're enjoying the challenge.
"All we're trying to do is get a result against Chelsea, do our best and we'll add up the points in May and see where we are."
In the reverse of this fixture back in August, it was Chelsea who came away victorious, taking a 4-2 win.
It's been a busy month so far for Chelsea, this will be their ninth fixture in January 2013. Reading, however, have played just five games.
Reading's last win over Chelsea in the league was in 1930, when they beat the Blues 3-1 at home, in what was a Division Two game.
The players are in the tunnel and ready to head out to the pitch for tonight's game.
It looks like a lively crowd at the Madejski this evening, the home fans know how important three points will be for their team tonight.
Brian McDermott follows the sides out. The Reading manager is looking confident. Reading played well against the European champions earlier in the season despite the scoreline.
A quick pre-match huddle from Reading, while Chelsea are in their formation and ready to go.
Chelsea kick off the first half.
It's a positive start from the hosts. They win a free kick around 20 yards out, but the ball goes just wide of Turnbull's goal.
Reading are pressing forward again, but this time Harte is flagged offside. Aggressive stuff from the Royals in the opening minutes.
Frank Lampard fires the ball forward for Chelsea, but there's too much on the ball and it goes behind for a Reading goal kick.
Chelsea press up the pitch again, and Karacan puts the ball behind for a corner. Mata delivers the ball in to the area, but it's an easy clearance for the home side.
A brilliant run down the sideline by McAnuff is intercepted by Ashley Cole, and Chelsea head back down the field of the counter attack. Torres winning a corner.
CHANCE! It's Mata with the corner again. This time the Spaniard finds Ivanovic, but his header goes well over.
This has been a really lively start to the game from both teams. Chelsea are just starting to see a little more of the ball than their opponents, and Reading will need to be careful.
A cross from out wide falls to McAnuff, but he can't control the ball in time and is dispossessed. However, Pogrebnyak gets the ball back but is fouled, and Reading get a free kick on the edge of the area.
Gurthrie takes the kick, curling it in to the box, but Chelsea are marking their hosts closely.
CHANCE! Ashley Cole goes for an ambitious effort from distance. It's not a bad effort given how far he was from goal, but it was well wide of the post in the end.
Guthrie is brought down by Lampard in a clumsy collision. There was no malice in it from the Chelsea veteran, but it's enough to give the hosts a free kick, which Federici fires up towards Chelsea's penalty area.
Reading have been mighty in the last five minutes. Chelsea may have been looking like dominating the ball earlier, but Reading have had 70% possession in since the 12th minute.
Pearce catches Torres in the back of the head while climbing to take the ball. The £50 million striker has been relatively quiet in the opening 20 minutes.
CHANCE! Torres breaks in to the box and finds Lampard, who backheels the ball to Mata inside the box, but Kelly intervenes out puts the ball behind to give Chelsea a corner.
Pogrebnyak goes on the run for Reading, but he has Cahill for company, and the big Russian barges his marker out of the way, drawing a whistle from the referee. Chelsea are just starting to get back on top here.
CHANCE! Chelsea are on the attack again, and Kebe finds himself back defending. Pearce eventually gets the ball away, nodding away a header from Mata.
BOOKING! Jobi McAnuff goes in the book for a late tackle on Oscar, earning the first yellow of the match.
CHANCE! Lampard takes the free kick awarded for the foul on Oscar, finding the head of Cahill. The defender's effort is just inches wide. That's the closest either side have come to scoring so far.
Remember earlier, when Reading had a spell of 70% possession? Well they've dropped off a bit not, with Chelsea having seen 64% of the time on the ball so far. However, there has been some good defending by the hosts, and it looks like it will take something special from Chelsea to get the better of the Royals at the moment.
Reading have responded to the visitors' current dominant spell, and have pinned Chelsea back inside their own half. A couple of attempts to break in to the Chelsea box, however, have come to nothing.
Cole puts the ball out around 20 yards out. A dangerous throw breaks in to the box, but there's no-one free from Reading to get on the end of it, and it's an easy clearance for the away side in the end, but it's been a much brighter couple of minutes from the Royals.
Pogrebnyak is on the charge again, but this time he's flagged offside, and Cahill takes a quick free kick for Chelsea. It's been a busy opening period for the Russian.
CHANCE! Bertrand tries a shot against the side he previously spend a season on loan at, but it goes well wide, much to the delight of the Reading fans.
Some brilliant link up play amongst the Chelsea midfield sees the visitors closing on the Reading goal again, but Reading manage to get the ball away and launch a counter attack.
BOOKING! Pogrebnyak gets in to another physical battle, but this time it's him who is fouled by Ramires, and the Chelsea player gets a yellow card for his troubles
CHANCE! Mata is on the charge again, and manages to superbly chip the ball through to Torres, but the Spaniard appears to lose hit footing and slice the ball out for a throw.
Pogrebnyak gets the ball to Mariappa inside the Chelsea penalty area, but he never has control of the ball. Reading have been playing positively throughout the half, but they've not looked all that threatening in front of goal so far.
Juan Mata is in on goal but is flagged offside, and Federici kicks the ball away.
GOAL! Reading 0-1 Chelsea (Mata)
What a time to take the lead. The Spaniard, who has been the most creative player for Chelsea this half, is set up by Torres, driving the ball in with his left foot.
HALF-TIME: Reading 0-1 Chelsea
Reading will be gutted to be going in behind. Mata had looked dangerous throughout the half, but Reading had defended superbly to keep him and his teammates out, while showing some intent of their own.
Up until the goal, which came which virtually with the last kick of the half, Brian McDermott will have been happy with what he saw from his team. At times they were completely dominating possession and seemed more than comfortable with Chelsea running at their goal.
There was one booking a piece in the first half, McAnuff for Reading and Ramires for Chelsea, both for clumsy challenges, otherwise it was relatively clean from both sides.
Let's have a look at a few stats from the opening 45 minutes. Chelsea ended up with a whopping 73% of the possession, to Reading 27%.
Chelsea had six attempts at the Reading goal, but just the one on target. However, they made that one count. By contrast, Reading failed to get one shot away, despite breaking in to the Chelsea box on a number of occasions.
Elsewhere in tonight's Premier League games, Liverpool are beating Arsenal 1-0, Everton have a 2-0 lead over West Brom, Norwich are a goal up against Tottenham, Fulham lead West Ham by the same margin and Manchester United had to come from a goal down to take a 2-1 advantage at half time against Southampton.
The players are heading back out for the second half at the Madejski Stadium, will Reading be able to build on the resilient showing in the opening half to get themselves back in this game?
Reading kick off the second half.
It's a stoney expression from Brian McDermott at the start of this second half. Reading find themselves inside the Chelsea half, but the ball goes behind for a Turnbull goal kick.
Mata slides the ball forward towards Torres, and Pearce comes in to try to get the ball away from the Chelsea striker, but he clatters in to Torres in the process, conceding a free kick in a dangerous area.
Frank Lampard tries to score directly from the free kick, but his effort is off target, allowing Reading to go on the counter attack, but the move comes to nothing. It's been a quiet night for Ross Turnbull.
Reading are pushing hard at the moment. The Royals are awarded a free kick around 25 yards out after Ivanovic fould Pogrebnyak. The initial danger is cleared, but the ball is hooked back in to the box, forcing Turnbull to step in and take the ball.
McAnuff looks to find Kebe near the Chelsea goal, but there's too much power on his cross, and it goes behind for a goal kick. This has to be the most aggressive spell of the match for Reading.
CHANCE! A shocker from Oscar. Lampard puts in a high ball for Oscar for a one-on-one with Federici, but he somehow puts the ball wide.
SUBSTITUTION! Guthrie goes off for Reading, with Garath McCleary coming on in his place.
Pogrebnyak is flagged offside again. He's probably been Reading's best player this evening, but that's a few times he's been a little too quick for his own good.
Reading win a thrown in which is taken by Harte. Leigertwood gets the ball and hooks in towards the Chelsea goal, but the visitors have numbers back and get the ball clear.
Cole gives away a free kick for a foul on Kebe. Harte curls the ball in, but Ramires is their to get the block before clearing the ball.
GOAL! Reading 0-2 Chelsea (Lampard)
SUBSTITUTION Jobi McAnuff goes off, making way for Adam Le Fondre.
CHANCE! Lampard looks to put the result beyond doubt with a low drive towards the Reading goal, but the ball runs just wide of the target.
Pogrebnyak and Kebe link up beautifully and on the counter attack almost getting Kebe in on goal, but the move breaks down and Chelsea immediately get the ball up the other end, where Torres forces a save from Federici.
Chelsea have had 12 shots, while Reading are still pushing for their first. The home side are still pushing though, they've not given up on this yet.
SUBSTITUTION! Hope Akpan comes on for his home debut for Reading in place of Karacan.
SUBSTITUTION! Chelsea also make a change, taking off Mata in place of Benayoun. It's been another impressive display from the Chelsea playmaker.
SUBSTITUTION! Chelsea also make a change, taking off Mata in place of Benayoun. It's been another impressive display from the Chelsea playmaker.
CHANCE! Harte delivers the ball in to the Chelsea box. Le Fondre rises high to get his head to the ball, but it was always going high.
Cahill comes off worst in a clash of heads with McCleary and needs treatment. It was a horrible collision as both tried to get high ball.
John Terry is warming up for Chelsea, presumably in case Cahill can't continue, but it looks like he'll be ok.
Le Fondre looks to curl the ball in for Reading, but it goes just wide of the post. At the other end, Federici needs to come out to prevent an effort from Oscar.
Frank Lampard appears to pick up a knock while charging along the sideline, but he seems to shake it off quickly. Chelsea are mainly just trying to keep the ball at the moment, with the majority of their players behind the ball.
GOAL! Reading 1-2 Chelsea (Le Fondre)
Reading are right back in this! Akpan crosses the ball in, and Le Fondre runs on the to ball to fire it past Turnbull.
SUBSTITUTION! Demba Ba takes the place of Fernando Torres as we head in to injury time.
CHANCE! Akpan is on the charge again, this time looking for Kebe, but the ball is headed away by Chelsea. This is some finish from the Royals.
GOAL! Reading 2-2 Chelsea (Le Fondre)
It's another stunning comeback by Reading, and what an impact Adam Le Fondre has had since coming off the bench. Federici takes a long free kick, which drops to Akpan, who heads the ball forward for Le Fondre to drill in.
BOOKING! Azpilicueta fouls Le Fondre, earning just the third yellow of the game.
FULL-TIME: Reading 2-2 Chelsea
Wow, what a sensational finish from Reading. They'd have felt hard done by at 2-0 down, but it looked like they'd all but given up, before super-sub Adam Le Fondre netted twice in the dying minutes to earn them a point.
Chelsea looked like they were just coasting to the finish, but that's always a dangerous tactic, and they were punished.
The draw is enough to lift Reading out of the relegation zone on goal difference, while Chelsea remain in third.
That's all from a thriller at the Madejski Stadium. Stick around for reports, analysis and reaction to all six games from the Premier League this evening. We'll have more coverage from the top flight on Saturday. Until then, thanks for joining us, good bye.
Written by
Sian Cowper
Sian Cowper
