Reading delivered a powerful statement of intent with a 5-1 demolition of Milton Keynes Dons at Stadium MK. The result lifts Leam Richardson's side to sixth in the League One table, now just four points off the top, and extends their unbeaten league run to four matches. This recent form has seen them take 10 points from the last 12 available, a run they will aim to continue when they host Leyton Orient next weekend.
Paddy Lane opened the scoring seven minutes before the interval, finishing from Udoka Godwin-Malife's pass. The game was effectively ended as a contest two minutes after the restart when MK Dons defender Cohen Bramall turned the ball into his own net.
Second-half surge
Reading then ran riot. Kyreece Lisbie scored his first after 64 minutes, capitalising on a collision between goalkeeper Will Dennis and a defender outside the box. Lisbie added his second with ten minutes to go, eluding Bramall before finishing from Josh Stokes's assist.
MK Dons grabbed a late consolation through Aaron Collins, but Reading responded immediately. Substitute Jacob Brown tapped in from another Stokes cross just moments later to complete the rout. The comprehensive nature of the win is reflected in the statistics, with Reading registering an expected goals figure of 3.64 to the hosts' 0.44. The visitors' goals came from a total of just 8 goal minutes of action, underlining the clinical nature of their performance.
The victory solidifies Reading's position in the playoff places with 15 points from nine games.
