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You really have to take your hat off to Reading boss Brian McDermott. Six games into the Championship season, the Royals were second bottom and heading nowhere fast.
Beaten play-off finalists in 2010-11, the Berkshire outfit looked anything but promotion contenders as they slumped to a limp 2-0 defeat by Watford at the Madejski Stadium.
With top scorer Shane Long sold to West Brom in a big-money deal, questions were being asked about the club’s ambition and the suitability of McDermott to guide them back to the top flight.
However, that September reverse against the Hornets proved the nadir, as Reading are now in the midst of a barnstorming charge up the table which could yet result in a top-two finish.
With McDermott re-affirming his loyalty to the club by rejecting the advances of Wolves and signing a new contract, the Royals have won five straight league matches and ten of their last 12.
They are positioned handily in third place, just four points behind title favourites West Ham, as they prepare to travel to struggling Millwall this weekend.
Reading’s five straight victories of late have all been by 1-0 or 2-0 outcomes, so backing McDermott’s men to win a game of under 2.5 goals might tempt you at an even better 18/5.
Unsurprisingly, Reading are the 7/5 favourites in bwin’s 3Way football betting market, with the draw available at 21/10 and a home victory priced up at 39/20.
Further inspection of the form book suggests that a Royals triumph should be a formality, especially as the Lions are currently on a five-match winless streak at the New Den.
Kenny Jackett’s men fired blanks in four of those matches and with Reading keeping a stunning five clean sheets in a row, backing the visitors to win to nil looks a solid bet at 13/5.
But considering the Royals are not exactly hammering goals in for fun – they have managed a modest 41 in 32 games so far – a 1-0, 2-0 or 3-0 triumph is preferable due to marginally longer odds of 27/10.
Anyone joining bwin.com can claim a free £25 bet and placing it on this particular selection would provide returns of £92.50 if Reading do indeed win by one of the three scorelines.
In fairness, it should be noted that their five straight victories of late have all been by 1-0 or 2-0 outcomes, so backing McDermott’s men to win a game of under 2.5 goals might tempt you at an even better 18/5.
However, if shot-shy Middlesbrough can score three goals at the New Den (they won 3-1 in the Lions’ last home outing), an in-form Royals team could easily do the same, so I suggest sticking with the multiple correct score option.
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There is also a strong argument to suggest that Reading may need to wait until the second half to exert their dominance, as they have been drawing at half-time in 11 of their 15 away games this term.
Naturally, this should alert punters to the draw/Reading selection in the half-time/full-time market, which is available at odds of 19/4.
But if you’re looking for a banker in this one, there are a couple of remarkably generous prices on offer, considering the statistics involved.
For example, Reading have scored just five goals in the first halves of their away matches, but that total rises to 12 for second halves – they are at 17/10 to score more after the interval than before it here.
Along the same lines, the Royals’ away matches have contained 11 goals before half-time and 19 after the break, while those figures are 15 and 24 respectively for Millwall’s home games.
And while I believe the Reading 1-0, 2-0 or 3-0 triumph is worthy of plenty investment in itself, backing more goals to be scored in the second 45 minutes in south-east London tomorrow looks the safest play at 6/5.
Recommended bets:
Match to contain more goals in second half than first @ 6/5 Reading to score more in second half than first @17/10 Reading to win 1-0, 2-0 or 3-0 @ 27/10
Outside punt:
Reading to win after drawn first half @ 19/4
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