This is how it played out as Sunderland seal three valuable points with late winner against Reading

Tony Mowbray’s side had been off the pace for the opening half of this game against a stubborn opponent clearly happy to take a point from the game, but they were able to step it up after the break and finally break Reading’s resistance with just over five minutes to play.

It was a moment of individual quality from Roberts and a fine finish, maintaining Sunderland’s strong Championship position.

It said much about a truly dismal first half that Reading came to spoil the game and not only succeeded, but still managed to just about have the best of the chances.

The hosts were fortunate that Tom Ince fired a long-range effort wide in the opening moments after Dan Neil gifted up possession, and the talented forward then went down too easily when he was presented another chance to break through on goal shortly after. The referee rightly waved play on.

The game quickly settled into a frustrating pattern, Reading sitting off and denying Sunderland any space in central areas. Mowbray’s side were well off the pace and on a poor pitch struggling to find any kind of incision. Their only two attempts of note were both from set plays, with Aji Alese and Dan Ballard heading over from two promising Patrick Roberts free kicks. Their rhythm, or lack thereof, wasn’t helped by the constant slowing dfown of the game at every opportunity from the visitors.

Reading’s foray forwards were rare, but Alese had to do well to block an effort from Junior Hoilett after the forward dropped onto a knock down. Sunderland, and in particularly Trai Hume, had done well to suppress the visitor’s set-piece threat but that was about the only positive of a tough first 45 to watch.

The hosts finally found opened up their opposition early in the second half after an excellent through ball from Michut, but Gelhardt could only slide his effort wide of the far post. Now Sunderland were getting runners in behind and they had another sight of goal when Alese controlled a long ball forward with an excellent first touch, just firing his half-volleyed effort over the bar.

Mowbray had responded to that insipid first half by pushing Alese almost all the way up front, with Hume not too much deeper on the other flank. It was undoubtedly making the home side more threatening, and Lumley had to well to deny both Roberts and then Alese from a promising attack.

It was overdue pressure and it should have led to a goal. Neil swung in a cross and though Lumley got there first, he punched straight to Michut. The midfielder had time to set himself but could only blaze over the bar.

Sunderland continued to push and Mowbray continued to make attacking substitutions, and with just over five minutes left it finally paid off.

Roberts had gone close with an effort from the edge of the box moments early but this time he was not to be denied as he broke into the box. A poor touch from a Reading defender allowed him to close in a goal and a brilliant dummy sat down the goalkeeper, allowing him to fire an effort into the roof of the net.

Reading now tried to respond but Sunderland managed the closing stages well and were able to hold onto their lead with relative ease.

Sunderland XI: Patterson; Hume, Ballard, Batth, Alese; Neil (Lihadji, 75), Michut (Ba, 80); Roberts, Amad (Pritchard, 65), Clarke (Bennette, 80); Gelhardt (O’Nien, 74)

Subs: Bass, Ekwah

Reading XI: Lumley; McIntyre (Fornah, 87), Sarr, Mbengue; Yiadom, Hendrick, Hoilett, Rahman (Azeez, 87), Ince; Long (Meite, 77), Carroll

Subs: Bouzanis, Dann, Meite, Azeez, Guiness-Walker, Fornah, Casadei

Bookings: Yiadom, 33 Meite, 90

Attendance: 38,046