Long on song to deny Saints

SHANE LONG has spent much of this season overshadowed by Reading’s more extrovert Irish stars, but the Tipperary-born striker rose to the occasion yesterday to maintain his side’s Premier League push.

Long plundered a priceless late equaliser against struggling Southampton to keep the Royals in the Championship top two, although Wolves could pull clear if they beat Blackpool tonight.

Manager Steve Coppell hailed his side’s battling qualities after seeing them dominated for long spells by their hosts.

“Come the end of the season, this could prove to be an excellent point for us,” he said. “We showed fortitude, resilience and determination to get back into the game.

“It is not fortuitous that we win or draw games when we’ve gone behind in the last 10 minutes.

“It shows what sort of team we have and how we keep on fighting to the bitter end.

“I thought we showed a huge amount of desire to get back into the game and I’m delighted with the way we approached it.”

Lowly Southampton started the game much brighter and Reading did not put a single shot on target in the first half.

The Saints deservedly took the lead in the 74th minute with David McGoldrick’s sixth league goal of the season.

Substitute Kayne McLaggon ran 30 yards through the Reading defence before putting a pinpoint ball through to McGoldrick.

The striker, who had not scored in his previous 10 games, made no mistake as he coolly slotted past Adam Federici but Reading hit back 10 minutes later through Long.

Midfielder Stephen Hunt swung over a dangerous free kick and centre-back, Michael Duberry, headed back for Long to head home from two yards. Reading almost stole all three points in injury time through top scorer, Kevin Doyle.

Jimmy Kebe put the ball through to Doyle, who lashed a shot from 20 yards which Kelvin Davis acrobatically tipped the ball over the bar

Saints manager, Jan Poortvliet, was delighted with the way his side bounced back after losing 2-0 to Plymouth three days ago.

“Hopefully, we can win more games to get ourselves out of the relegation zone because I think we are a better side than that.”

SOUTHAMPTON (4-4-2): Davis, James, Cork, Perry, Skacel, Gobern, McGoldrick, Gillett, Smith (Wright-Phillips 46), Holmes (McLaggon 55), Paterson (Euell 64).

Subs Not Used: Bialkowski, Lancashire.

READING (4-4-2): Federici, Rosenior, Duberry, Ingimarsson, Armstrong (N Hunt 79), Kebe, Matejovsky (Harper 71), Gunnarsson (Cisse 71), S Hunt, Long, Doyle.

Subs Not Used: Kelly, Andersen.

REFEREE: Phil Crossley