Wolverhampton Wanderers vs Reading. Sky Bet Championship.
MolineuxAttendance21,147.
Sunday 27 December 2015 11:53, UK
Wolves winger James Henry ended their Molineux misery as his header earned a 1-0 Sky Bet Championship win against Reading.
Henry's neat 18th-minute finish earned Wolves their first home win in seven attempts. Their previous success at Molineux had been back on October 3 when they beat Huddersfield 3-0.
While Wolves were able to celebrate a long overdue win in front of their own fans, and only a third win in 13 attempts, defeat for Reading extended their poor form on the road.
They have now lost their last six away games and are on a run of five defeats in six games.
Reading, who had early claims for a penalty waved away when Hal Robson-Kanu's cross looked to hit the arm of Dominic Iorfa, should have made some consistent pressure pay off only to be denied by frantic defending and poor finishing.
In the space of a few seconds in the 12th minute, Matej Vydra saw his shot blocked by Ethan Ebanks-Landell before Garath McCleary's follow-up was cleared off the line by Conor Coady.
McCleary then shot wide when well placed and Wolves took full advantage of their good fortune to break the deadlock through Henry.
After McCleary was booked for bringing down Iorfa on the right edge of the Reading area, Jordan Graham floated over a cross that Henry rose to head home from close range.
Wolves sought to build on their advantage, with only a last-ditch challenge from Stephen Quinn denying Benik Afobe as he homed in on goal in the 28th minute.
A minute later Afobe deflected Henry's cross past goalkeeper Jonathan Bond only to see the ball bounce off a post.
Having survived that storm, Reading made a late push at the end of the first half to find an equaliser, only for Robson-Kanu to be denied by blocks from Iorfa and skipper Danny Batth.
Reading's frustration continued at the start of the second half when the impressive Oliver Norwood let fly from fully 30 yards and saw his drive whistle past goalkeeper Carl Ikeme, only for the ball to hit a post and fly to safety.
Ikeme then saved from Vydra before Robson-Kanu headed Nick Blackman's corner over the bar as Reading enjoyed another spell of pressure.
Wolves' goal continued to live a charmed life.
In the 71st minute Jordan Graham misplaced his clearance and Blackman fired in a shot from 20 yards that Ikeme looked set to save comfortably.
But the ball spun out of his hands and he was relieved to see it drop just beyond his near post.
Wolves were penned in their own half for long spells, but had a chance to ease their nerves two minutes from time only for Afobe to blaze wildly over the bar from the edge of the area.
Wolves boss Kenny Jackett:
"We got or noses in front for the third successive game but here we showed some desire and organisation to hold onto it.
"There was some spirit there as it has been a little bit of time since we have won at Molineux."
Reading boss Brian McDermott:
"I think if we had gone 1-0 up it is a different game. We had lots of shots but maybe we need to work the ball into better areas, to get better crosses in and more quality.
"So you take that one on the chin and you go to the next one on Monday against Brentford."
