Match Report
On paper the standings were lopsided — Blackburn Rovers 7th with 69 points, Reading 22nd with 44, 25 apart. The last five rounds placed Blackburn Rovers no better than 14th for form, against 7th in the standings. Scoring rates set the scale: Blackburn Rovers 1.13 scored and 1.17 conceded per game, Reading 1 and 1.48, with the league averaging 1.22.
Defeat had followed defeat for Reading — three in succession. Over the last five, Blackburn Rovers had taken 12 of 15 points to Reading's 3.
17 meetings are on record — 6 won by Blackburn Rovers, 8 by Reading, 3 drawn, at 2.88 goals per meeting.
The venue was Ewood Park in Blackburn, with room for 31,367 spectators. On the scoreboard, Blackburn Rovers led 1-0 at the break; 2 second-half goals set the final 2-1.