Reading suffered a second consecutive defeat as Preston North End inflicted a first home league loss of the campaign on the Championship’s early-season leaders.
The Royals remain three points clear at the top of the second tier, but lacked the clinical quality in the final third against North End that had seen them win seven of their first eight games.
Scott Sinclair poked home the opening goal after half-time and Emil Riis Jakobsen raced on to a long ball to double the lead.
Brad Potts added a late third for Preston after a quick counter-attack and an unselfish square ball from Tom Barkhuizen.
Preston’s impressive win followed two consecutive home losses, but extended their superb away form.
North End have now won four straight games on their travels, in stark contrast to their dismal record at Deepdale, where they have lost every match so far this term.
The Lancashire club produced another textbook away performance, looking well-organised in defence and breaking with great impetus on the counter.
The Royals struggled to cause major problems for the visitors’ keeper Declan Rudd, as Veljko Paunovic’s side fired a blank after scoring nine times in their previous three matches.
Reading head coach Veljko Paunovic:
“I’m not disappointed but I feel the pain. When you lose a game, you have to absorb it. That’s what I told the players.
“You have to quickly bounce back and convert the pain into a positive energy for the next game.
“The next game is all we have. If we lose or we win, we say – next day, next game.
“We have to acknowledge that we weren’t at our best today.
Preston boss Alex Neil:
“This seems to be quite common for us on the road. We’ve been excellent on the road.
“First of all, I’m delighted with the win. But I’m still a bit perplexed at how poor we’ve been at home in comparison to being away.
“But we’ll enjoy tonight. We needed a good response from the players after the last two games, which have been tough for us at home.
“The one thing that we have never lacked is spirit, endeavour and effort. And tonight I thought that we added a bit of quality to that.”
Line-ups
Reading
- 33Cabral Barbosa
- 2Pontes EstevesSubstituted forYiadomat 76′minutes
- 4Morrison
- 5McIntyre
- 3Richards
- 8Rinomhota
- 28LaurentBooked at 87mins
- 7OliseSubstituted forBaldockat 71′minutes
- 30Semedo
- 24AlukoSubstituted forPuscasat 68′minutes
- 18Lucas João
Substitutes
- 1Walker
- 9Baldock
- 15Gibson
- 17Yiadom
- 34Tetek
- 43Watson
- 47Puscas
Preston
- 1Rudd
- 2FisherBooked at 15mins
- 23Huntington
- 14Storey
- 15Rafferty
- 8BrowneBooked at 87mins
- 18Ledson
- 31SinclairSubstituted forBarkhuizenat 76′minutes
- 11Johnson
- 44Potts
- 19Riis Jakobsen
Substitutes
- 3Earl
- 10Harrop
- 12Gallagher
- 20Stockley
- 24Maguire
- 25Ripley
- 29Barkhuizen
Live Text
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Match ends, Reading 0, Preston North End 3.
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Second Half ends, Reading 0, Preston North End 3.
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Attempt missed. George Puscas (Reading) header from the centre of the box misses to the left. Assisted by Sam Baldock with a cross.
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Foul by Andy Yiadom (Reading).
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Brad Potts (Preston North End) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
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Attempt blocked. Andy Yiadom (Reading) right footed shot from outside the box is blocked.
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Corner, Reading. Conceded by Joseph Rafferty.
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Attempt blocked. Lucas João (Reading) left footed shot from outside the box is blocked. Assisted by Sam Baldock.
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Goal! Reading 0, Preston North End 3. Brad Potts (Preston North End) right footed shot from the centre of the box to the top right corner. Assisted by Tom Barkhuizen following a fast break.
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Attempt missed. Alfa Semedo (Reading) header from the centre of the box misses to the right. Assisted by Tom McIntyre with a cross.
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Sam Baldock (Reading) wins a free kick on the left wing.
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Foul by Darnell Fisher (Preston North End).
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Attempt missed. George Puscas (Reading) header from the centre of the box misses to the right. Assisted by Omar Richards with a cross.
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Alan Browne (Preston North End) is shown the yellow card.
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Josh Laurent (Reading) is shown the yellow card.
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Alfa Semedo (Reading) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
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Foul by Ryan Ledson (Preston North End).
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Foul by Andy Yiadom (Reading).
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Brad Potts (Preston North End) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
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Michael Morrison (Reading) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
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