Despite it only being early November, many people labelled this match at Loftus Road a must-win game.
Both Queens Park Rangers and Reading began the day firmly in the relegation zone and without a Premier League win this season.
As it transpired, neither side managed to win. Royals defender Kaspars Gorkss broke the deadlock against his former club early on, before Djibril Cisse earned his team a share of the spoils in the second half.
Below is Sports Mole's blow-by-blow account of how the action unfolded.
QPR starting XI: Cesar, Bosingwa, Traore, Nelsen, Ferdinand, Hoilett, Granero, Diakite, Taarabt, Cisse, Mackie
Reading starting XI: McCarthy, Gunter, Shorey, Gorkss, Morrison, Leigertwood, Tabb, McCleary, McAnuff, Hunt, Roberts
QPR subs: Green, Derry, Hill, Wright-Phillips, Onuoha, Zamora, Faurlin
Reading subs: Federici, Cummings, Pearce, Kebe, Robson-Kanu, Le Fondre, Pogrebnyak
Rangers have made three changes following last weekend's narrow defeat at Arsenal. Bobby Zamora, Shaun Wright-Phillips and Stephane Mbia go out. Jamie Mackie, Djibril Cisse and Anton Ferdinand come in.
Mbia is suspended, after being sent off at Arsenal. Meanwhile, Park Ji-Sung's absence is a result of a knee injury.
Reading have made two changes from the team that began Tuesday's 7-5 defeat to the Gunners. Adam Federici is replaced in goal by Alex McCarthy, while captain Jobi McAnuff comes in for Hal Robson-Kanu.
Jason Roberts, who terrorised the Arsenal defence in midweek, is rewarded with his second Premier League start of the season.
This match was in slight doubt overnight following heavy rainfall in West London. However, the rain has stopped and the pitch is playable. The game goes ahead.
Despite the rain subsiding, there is a high risk of a goal flood on the pitch if Reading continue their recent form. Including Tuesday's crazy cup tie, there have been 32 goals in the last six games in which the Royals have been involved.
Also, QPR have only kept one clean sheet in nine Premiership matches this season, while Reading have conceded in each of their last 13 games in all competitions.
Today's referee is Michael Oliver. This is the first time that the Northumberland-based official has taken charge of either side this season.
Oliver refereed QPR three times last season: 2-0 loss at Wigan, 1-1 draw with Aston Villa and 1-1 draw at MK Dons. Armand Traore was sent off in the Villa match.
He has not refereed Reading since November 2010, when the Royals drew 3-3 with 10-man Norwich City.
The players are on the pitch and the handshakes take place without incident. Kickoff is three minutes away.
QPR get us underway. Reading's players look delightful, dressed all in yellow.
The hosts surrender possession after just six seconds, hoofing the ball long into Julio Cesar's grateful arms.
Chance for Reading! Roberts does well down the left and slips the ball through to McAnuff, who fires in a low cross which is cleared off the line by Ferdinand.
Chance for Reading! Jay Tabb shows good close control before poking the ball through to Noel Hunt. He strikes low from eight yards and the ball deflects wide for a corner.
Reading make a mess of the corner and QPR break quickly. Adel Taarabt shoots from long range and his effort is deflected wide for a corner.
Equally poor set piece from Rangers. The danger is over.
A frustrated Roberts thinks that he has won a corner for Reading off Ferdinand, but the referee awards a goal kick. Wrong decision.
QPR go close! Cisse picks the ball up 35 yards out. He goes on a 15-yard mazy run, then strikes narrowly wide from just outside the penalty area.
QPR go close! Junior Hoilett makes a powerful solo run forward, but drags his left-foot shot wide from 20 yards.
Corner to Reading.
Goal for Reading - Kaspars Gorkss - Queens Park Rangers 0-1 Reading.
Nicky Shorey's fizzed corner is headed at goal by Sean Morrison. Cesar tips the ball onto the crossbar, but Gorkss tucks away the rebound with a well-executed left-foot volley from eight yards. Gorkss' shot took a slight deflection off Ryan Nelson.
Chance for QPR! Samba Diakite makes a brilliant run down the right. He crosses low to Cisse, who miskicks from eight yards.
Corner to QPR.
The corner is taken short, much to the vocal disgust of the home crowd. When the cross eventually comes in, it is easily gathered by McCarthy.
QPR go close! Taarabt strikes just over from 25 yards.
Nelson makes a very important tackle, taking the ball off Roberts in the penalty area. The Reading forward would have been in on goal.
Taarabt again comes deep to collect the ball, before gliding past two Reading defenders with ease. This time he hits the target with his long-range effort, but McCarthy makes a good save.
Roberts causes more problems for the QPR backline, running at them with pace and power. Ferdinand looks to be beaten, but recovers to make a vital block.
The first yellow card of the game goes to Hunt for a cynical halfway-line trip on Diakite.
Taarabt is looking very lively. He hits the target again from distance. However, his shot is well held by McCarthy.
Mackie is fouled by Morrison just outside the penalty area. Free kick to Rangers in a very dangerous position.
Woodwork! Esteban Granero sends his effort flying towards the top right corner. McCarthy makes a stunning fingertip save to deflect the ball onto the underside of the crossbar. Jose Bosingwa gets to the rebound, but volleys over the bar with his left foot.
The fourth official indicates one added minute.
A positive run down the right by Diakite wins a corner for Rangers.
It is taken short again. The ball is then swung in deep, but Morrison hacks clear.
HT: Queens Park Rangers 0-1 Reading
That was a very entertaining 45 minutes of fast-paced Premier League action. Both sides have had 10 shots at goal. QPR have hit the target with three of theirs, while Reading hit the net with their ONLY shot on target.
Click here to read Liam Apicella's half-time report.
Reading have led at half time in three of their last four matches (against Swansea City, Fulham and Arsenal). On each of those occasions, they have gone on to draw after 90 minutes.
Reading kick off and the second half begins. Neither manager has made any personnel changes at the break.
Reading win an early corner, as Nelson makes an important clearance at the near post following a low cross from McAnuff.
QPR clear for another corner, which is easily dealt with. Danger over.
Tabb brings down Diakite. Free kick to QPR in a dangerous area - 20 yards out and just left of centre.
QPR go close! Granero goes for goal, but hits the sidenetting.
Chance for Reading! Shorey whips in a good cross from the left, but Morrison heads well over from 10 yards.
Roberts teases Bosingwa in the left channel, before cleverly winning a corner for the Royals.
Shorey's corner is headed well over the crossbar by Mikele Leigertwood.
Penalty shout for QPR! Mackie backs in to Morrison and then goes down claiming that his shirt was being held. It was but, as they say, 'six of one, half a dozen of the other'.
Corner to QPR - won by Traore, off the legs of Chris Gunter.
Taarabt swings in a deep corner to Nelson, who heads over at the far post. Poor effort from the Kiwi.
Substitution for Reading. Jimmy Kebe replaces Garath McCleary.
There is a break in play, as Hunt receives treatment after being caught in the face by Granero's elbow. It looked accidental, but it looked like it hurt too. Hunt will be OK to continue, but he is not happy.
Goal for QPR - Djibril Cisse - Queens Park Rangers 1-1 Reading.
Bosingwa crosses in from the right. Morrison fails to connect with his diving header and Cisse capitalises by poking home from six yards. It is the Frenchman's first league goal of the season.
QPR go close! Taarabt cracks in another powerful long-range effort and McCarthy palms away well.
Reading go close! Kebe makes a brilliant run forward and fires just wide from 25 yards.
Granero strikes high and wide from 30 yards.
Substitution for Reading. Hal Robson-Kanu replaces Jobi McAnuff.
Corner to Reading.
Reading go close! Robson-Kanu's first involvement is to head just wide from six yards.
Substitution for QPR. Bobby Zamora replaces Jamie Mackie.
Golden chance for QPR! Zamora plays in Cisse, who squares the ball to Taarabt. One-on-one with the goalkeeper, the Moroccan shoots low from eight yards and McCarthy brilliantly tips the ball away. Corner to QPR.
Substitution for QPR. Nedum Onuoha replaces Traore.
Reading clear the corner with ease.
Substitution for Reading. Adam le Fondre replaces Roberts.
Morrison and Ferdinand challenge for a high ball and suffer a clash of heads. After Ferdinand receives treatment, both players are ok to continue.
Five minutes of stoppage time are indicated, however it is likely to be slightly more than that because of Ferdinand's recent treatment.
QPR go close! Cisse crosses for Zamora, who fails to get a clean header on the ball. McCarthy gathers.
Yellow card for Le Fondre. The Reading forward goes to ground in the penalty area and is cautioned for diving.
QPR go close! Cisse goes for goal from 25 yards and his effort clips the outside of the post.
FT: Queens Park Rangers 1-1 Reading
The final whistle is greeted by a brief, but loud, chorus of boos from the home fans. Both sides remain winless in the league this season. QPR move off the bottom, leapfrogging Southampton, who play West Bromwich Albion tomorrow.
Click here to read Michael Penkman's match report.
That concludes our coverage of today's match. Click here to read my analysis of the game.
Written by
Robert Summerscales
Robert Summerscales
