Royals rise out of drop zone

Kitson: Scored clinching goal

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Reading climbed out of the relegation zone and up to 13th place after beating Manchester City 2-0 to record a second straight win.

Shane Long gave Reading a deserved lead in the 62nd minute before substitute Dave Kitson sealed the three points with a superbly-taken strike three minutes from time.

City defender Vedran Corluka missed a gilt-edged opportunity midway through the first half and moments later the visitors lost skipper Richard Dunne after he suffered a gashed shin.

Already without Micah Richards and Nedum Onuoha, City's makeshift defence capitulated in the second half and the Blues' European hopes are fading fast after going a third straight game without scoring.

The contest's first chance came when Benjani Mwaruwari found some space and skipped clear into the right side of the Reading box. However, his final touch was too heavy, which took the ball into the hands of keeper Marcus Hahnemann.

Visitors go close

A deep cross from John Oster then picked out Stephen Hunt at the far post, but his looping header was safely collected by City keeper Joe Hart.

The visitors almost snatched the lead after 24 minutes. A free-kick from the left touchline was sent over by Elano and bounced through to Corluka.

The Croatia defender was perhaps caught out by the unexpected chance - and could only guide the ball over the bar from five yards with his knee.

Benjani should have done better when he met Darius Vassell's cross at the far post, but headed tamely at the keeper.

City were forced into a change after 30 minutes when Dunne had to be taken off on a stretcher, replaced by Sun Jihai, after an awkward fall following a challenge with Hunt left him with a twisted knee and also a gash in his shin.

Long went close, this time with a backward header from Oster's left-wing free-kick before midfielder Marek Matejovsky drilled in a low, angled shot from the right edge of the penalty area, which Hart kept out with a fine reaction save.

At the other end, Michael Johnson weaved into the Reading box, and looked to have been tripped by Royals skipper Ivar Ingimarsson. However, referee Uriah Rennie was having none of it - and promptly booked the City man for what he saw as a dive.

City had the first chance of the second half but Gelson Fernandes' shot from 25 yards was straight at Hahnemann.

Elano was then given space on the left, and his low strike from distance was only just wide.

Tense

But Long just failed to connect with a deep ball from the right into the six-yard box at the other end - and the hosts continued to press.

From a corner Andre Bikey managed to get into space at the near post and slammed the ball goalwards, which Hart pushed onto the bar from point-blank range.

Reading, however, were soon in front when Long tapped in from five yards following Doyle's good work.

The atmosphere inside the Madejski Stadium was tense as the match entered the final 10 minutes.

Reading sent on Kitson and the substitute made sure of victory with a fine solo effort in the 88th minute when he cut in from the right before slotting into the bottom corner from 10 yards.