Brought in to replace the injured Joel Pereira, having played pretty well in his cup games. Helped smother away a dangerous play into his near post right after Reading took the lead.<\/p>\n
Let Cardiff\u2019s equaliser through his body early in the second half, but had to deal with a very late deflection from Burns that wrongfooted him. Beat down a high but weak shot moments later to stop things spiralling for Reading.<\/p>\n
Needed more from his defenders in the second goal: asked to deal with a fast first-time shot from an untracked man across his net. Had an odd moment late on when he got caught on the edge of his box and headed the ball high into the air.<\/p>\n
Sat high and wide up the field early, giving Ritchie in front of him more license to press high. Very comfortable drifting into midfield to find passes and then overlapping once bringing it out wide.<\/p>\n
Progressed the ball forwards well and was perhaps unlucky to be withdrawn for Yiadom midway through the second half.<\/p>\n
Stuck his head on a lot of balls today, putting his body on the line. Inches from blocking the Kellyman equaliser for Cardiff but ended up deflecting it past Stevens.<\/p>\n
Couldn\u2019t keep up with the run across for Cardiff\u2019s second goal, with him not recognising Paudie\u2019s step across the confront the cross early enough.<\/p>\n
Helped Stevens clear up the mess he had made for himself with his late header.<\/p>\n
Likes to see out dangerous balls proactively – did so with great skill at one point when he touched an early cross into the box away from the attacker and past the post.<\/p>\n
Looks dangerous as a back post target from attacking set pieces for Reading, reaching corners from both sides of the pitch.<\/p>\n
Mistimed a meaty challenge by the edge of the box on the hour mark, flipping his man in the air and taking a bit of a knock.<\/p>\n
Made a goal-saving challenge late in the first half, sliding in to stop a sure goal from point-blank range. Played deeper than Abrefa on the other side but progressed the ball forwards when he had it with a lot of urgency.<\/p>\n
One of those who couldn\u2019t make a strong enough challenge in the run for Cardiff\u2019s opener, pulling back to avoid giving away the penalty.<\/p>\n
Couldn\u2019t cut out the cross for the Salech goal, sliding in just a half yard late. Continued to struggle to cut out balls into his channel and was withdrawn shortly after.<\/p>\n
Showed the better side of his ability to jump forwards and disrupt opposition buildup today, and was given license by Reading\u2019s style to play more of the game closer to Cardiff\u2019s goal. That ended up with him having four shots in the first hour.<\/p>\n
Took his goal well – skittered the ball across the ground with a wicked curve that caught out the goalkeeper.<\/p>\n
Continued to push higher up the pitch, and made one great sliding challenge. Knocked some very nice balls to the far post as Reading threw the kitchen sink at Cardiff late on.<\/p>\n
Mopped up a dangerous-looking counter in the 35th minute with good anticipation and a sliding challenge. All action in both boxes, really going fully box to box.<\/p>\n
Helped show how this midfield, the same midfield that can look porous, can work by pushing Reading\u2019s line of confrontation higher up the field in the first half.<\/p>\n
Created multiple chances for Reading with his early inswingers into the box.<\/p>\n
Took a fantastic shot from a well worked corner – forcing a great save from Trott.<\/p>\n
Roamed freely in Cardiff\u2019s half which allowed him and Reading to pick up the ball in more valuable central spots more often. Did really and did a decent job of pressing the six in buildup, allowing him to receive it but trying to cut out the turn.<\/p>\n
Started the second half brightly, again helping Reading compete for the ball centrally. Sent Marriott through early on, then found himself in the Cardiff box but lost his footing.<\/p>\n
Withdrawn after Cardiff had taken the lead.<\/p>\n
Started a second game in a row for the first time for Reading, and pressed gamely with Marriott in the first half, helping Reading play most of the game closer to Cardiff\u2019s net than their own.<\/p>\n
Happy to be direct, taking a scything shot in the 55th minute that needed a good save. Knocked the ball down in the box for Wing to hit shortly after.<\/p>\n
Withdrawn in the second half as Reading looked to rejuvenate their attack, but showed his decent ballstriking ability again.<\/p>\n
Very active in the opening 20 minutes, being asked to move up and down the left side with significant defensive duties as well as counter-attacking.<\/p>\n
Sprinted on to a loose backpass from Osho to pick up Reading\u2019s best chance of the first half, but couldn\u2019t quite get it up and over the wide block of the \u2018keeper.<\/p>\n
Caught a volley from a corner in the second half but couldn\u2019t get enough power on the bouncing shot.<\/p>\n
Didn\u2019t step to his man when asked to by Dorsett: one of the mistakes leading to the second Cardiff goal.<\/p>\n
Picked up a third outrageous (and perhaps unlucky) miss in as many weeks, smashing the ball into a gaping goal but somehow finding the feet of a defender.<\/p>\n
Overall played well today but saw another performance defined by big misses.<\/p>\n
Hassled Osho into giving up the awful backpass from which Lane could have scored. That spoke to much of his effectiveness in the first half, harassing the backline and making buildup feel uncomfortable for Cardiff.<\/p>\n
Hustled really well to get onto a crossfield ball from Ritchie, keeping it in and earning Reading a corner. Really is deceptively fast, especially in terms of acceleration.<\/p>\n
Put through one-on-one by Doyle in the opening minute of the second half – caught up with the fast through ball but couldn\u2019t quite get his powerful ball either side of the keeper. Produced a nice turn and shot in the 67th minute, just bouncing the ball wide of the post.<\/p>\n
Found a great save from Trott when he got in behind in the closing stages, bouncing the ball into the keeper\u2019s midriff.<\/p>\n
Produced a great dummy in the box to leave the ball for Lane\u2019s big chance at the back post in the second half. Looked composed today, nicely winning it and laying it off for Reading to attack with at one moment late in the game.<\/p>\n
Took a decent shot across the frame of the goal, earning a corner, and swung another cross deep into the box to the far post.. slid a really dangerous driven cross into the box in the 90th minute that deserved a better intervention from a Reading player.<\/p>\n
Slid in well to kill a dangerous Cardiff attack and kick off a Reading counter that could have ended in a goal. Really alert to opportunities to intercept.<\/p>\n
Probably the least effective of Reading\u2019s subs today, mostly just not able to get onto the ball as Ehibhatiomhan moved the focus of Reading\u2019s attack over to the left side.<\/p>\n
Picked up the ball at the back post shortly after coming on, but put his cross over the bar. Cut out a dangerous attempted ball through the seam that threatened to pull Reading apart late on.<\/p>\n
Took down a cross that made its way to the back post and put in a really good volley but couldn\u2019t quite get the tight angle shot around Trott.<\/p>\n
Attempted an overhead effort in the 90th minute, looping it over the net.<\/p>\n