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Boro made changes from the team that drew 2-2 with West Brom a week earlier with Xavier and Johnson making way for Davies and Cattermole.

Reading, whose line up included Middlesbrough-born Graham Murty, were looking for a league double over the Boro following an opening day win at the MadejskiÌýStadium – a game in which the visitors threw away a 2-0 lead.

Grey skies hung over the near 27,000 crowd in what is a potential FA Cup quarter final – depending on the results of both sides replays this week. Reading must see off Manchester United while West Brom will be a hard nut to crack if a similar fixture is to be played out on Teesside in March.

From the offset it was clear both sides weren’t going to be content with one point as the ball flashed from one end of the pitch to the other in a half that won’t stay in any onlooker’s memories for too long.

Reading could have drawn first blood early on as Long outpaced Pogatetz only to be denied 10 yards from goal by an outstanding Woodgate tackle.

The fans didn’t wait too long after for the first strike of the afternoon.

A Downing free kick on the left was headed across the box by Pogatetz, and with defenders and keeper flapping, the ball fell to Viduka, and, with back to goal cheekily back heeled the ball past a bemused Hannaman.

Shortly after the Ozzie was creating more havoc for Steve Coppell’s men as he fed Yakubu a perfect ball for the Nigerian to place the ball past Hahnemann in the Reading goal only for the offside flag to be raised in what turned out to be a right decision.

The second half saw both sides go close with Yakubu being denied by the American keeper while Dave Kitson nearly levelled the score with a well struck volley just over Schwarzer’s crossbar.

Great play on the left saw Boro double their lead as neat work from Boateng, Downing and Viduka was superbly put away by Yakubu for his 12 Premiership goal of the season.

Both teams made changes including the long awaited first appearance of South Korean Dong Gook Lee replacing Yakubu while ex-Sunderland forward John Oster replaced Long in the Reading front line.

Within minutes of the changes the visitors halved the deficit with Oster placing the ball past the diving Schwarzer – who was celebrating ten years at the club.

An audible sigh could be heard from the home faithful, wondering if it was to be a case of here we go again, having seen leads pegged back in Cup battles against Bristol City and West Brom.

As full time drew close, a delightful Downing cross deceived Readings defence to fall nicely on the left foot of Lee, whose well struck volley saw the ball strike an upright before bouncing to safety.

The final whistle was greeted with relief as Southgate’s men showed they can compete against teams higher in the division while Coppell echoed many opposing managers’ opinions this season – citing The Yak and The Duke partnership as the difference between the teams.