CHAMPIONSHIP LEADERS READING encountered another setback this evening when they were comprehensively beaten at home by Preston North End.
Captained by Republic of Ireland international Alan Browne, Preston ran out 3-0 winners thanks to second-half goals from Scott Sinclair, Emil Riis Jakobsen and Brad Potts.
Reading remain three points clear at the summit of the table, despite suffering back-to-back defeats in their bid for a return to the Premier League for the first time since 2013.
Having started the campaign by taking seven wins and a draw from their opening eight games, they were beaten 3-2 at Coventry City last Friday.
Preston, for whom Joe Rafferty also started and Sean Maguire was an unused substitute, move up to 13th place as their Jekyll-and-Hyde form continues.
With 13 points from a possible 15 on the road, the Deepdale outfit boast the best away record in the Championship. However, they simultaneously have the worst home record, losing all five games on their own patch so far this season.
Elsewhere, James Collins was the hero for Luton Town in their game at Rotherham United. The Irish international’s 70th-minute goal gave the Hatters a 1-0 win that leaves them just a point outside the play-off places. Kieran Sadlier was an unused sub for Rotherham.
James McClean played all 90 minutes as Stoke City squandered an early lead en route to a 3-2 defeat away to Watford, who move up to fourth.
With Daryl Horgan in their starting line-up, Wycombe Wanderers made it successive victories courtesy of Fred Onyedinma’s stoppage-time goal in a 2-1 win at Birmingham City, who had Scott Hogan among their substitutes.
Chris Hughton‘s Nottingham Forest – with Cyrus Christie starting and Harry Arter returning to the bench – were 2-1 winners against Coventry City, with Lyle Taylor’s last-gasp penalty proving to be decisive.
There was also late drama at Pride Park, where Jason Knight was on the losing side as Macauley Bonne scored in the 88th minute of a 1-0 win for Queens Park Rangers against Derby County. Conor Masterson was an unused sub for QPR.
Tonight’s Championship results
- Birmingham City 1-2 Wycombe Wanderers
- Derby County 0-1 Queens Park Rangers
- Nottingham Forest 2-1 Coventry City
- Reading 0-3 Preston North End
- Rotherham United 0-1 Luton Town
- Watford 3-2 Stoke City
