Fixtures Reading Vs. Barnsley - Sat, May 03 2025, 15:00 Barnsley ended the 24/25 campaign with victory over play-off chasing Reading at the Select Car Leasing Stadium on Saturday afternoon. Goals for Stephen Humphrys and Jon Russell, added to by a Davis Keillor-Dunn brace saw the Reds win on the road for the first time under Conor Hourihane. The Reds began the game strongly in an atmospheric stadium, with Humphrys testing the Royals’ ‘keeper Joel Pereira early on with a drive from distance following a positive burst forward. It was Joe Gauci’s turn to be tested shortly after, the hosts’ skipper Lewis Wing firing from the edge of the area but the Australian was equal to it. Neither side succeeded in building any sustained play mid-way through the opening period, results elsewhere affecting the mood of the home faithful. There was a short delay on 39 minutes as Marc Roberts had to receive treatment for a cut on his head, sporting a bandage following attention from the Reds’ medical staff. Barry Cotter was played in on the right-hand side thanks to an incisive Keillor-Dunn ball behind the Reading back line, but the Irishman’s effort met the palms of Pereira seeing the scores unchanged at the break. Half-time: Royals 0-0 Reds Following the restart, the deadlock was broken by the Reds on 55 minutes. Humphrys received the ball on the left after nice work by Josh Earl down the flank, making no mistake from a tight angle to open the scoring. In quick succession the Reds doubled their advantage. A corner came back out to Dexter Lembikisa as the last man back for the Reds. He clipped a diagonal pass over the top for Cotter on the wing, who on the stretch with his first touch squared across the box for Russell at the back post. The Jamaican squeezed in the ball with a side-foot to make it eleven goals for the campaign. Reading drew one back through Wing as he slotted past Gauci from inside the area to provide some hope for the Royals on 67 minutes. The Reds restored the two-goal advantage on 79 minutes through Keillor-Dunn. A lovely passing move culminated in Jonathan Bland squaring for the Reds’ top scorer inside the box who clinically tapped home in front of the travelling Barnsley contingent. Five minutes from time, Keillor-Dunn made it 19 goals in all competitions for the Reds with an exquisite volley inside the area. The ball broke kindly to the Sunderland-born attacker who instinctively rifled home to put the game out of reach for the Royals. The hosts did however reduce the deficit and grab a consolation in added time, Billy Bodin finishing from a corner at the back post. The final whistle signalled victory for the Reds and the end of the 24/25 season. Full-time: Royals 2-4 Reds Continue reading...
