Stoke were boosted before the game with the signings of Deon Burton from Derby and Arnar Gunnlaugsson from Leicester City. Deon looked most likely to score, and Arnar had plenty of good touches, showing his quality.
To the delight of most Stoke fans, Peter Hoekstra was back into the line-up. He tore Reading apart in the 2-0 win at The Britannia Stadium earlier in the season and did so again in his 2nd half appearance.
The travelling fans of Stoke City were as loud as possible but struggled to make more noise than the Reading sell-out crowd who were giving it their all to support their side. An Electric atmosphere on a very windy day at the Madjeski.
Stoke were outplayed in the midfield and although Henry did well, needed a battler like Jurgen VanDoerzen perhaps instead, as James O'Connor struggled to make an impact.
Reading were simply much better on the day, and Stoke slip now to 5th position and now need to start winning starting with Bury at Home on Tuesday to try and finish in the 3rd or 4th spot if they can, because in my mind, that is the only way Stoke will get promotion through the play-offs - home advantage on the return leg.
CUTLER - 9/10 (Saved a massacre)
THOMAS - 6/10 Right Midfield is not his position
HANDYSIDE - 6/10 - Not too bad
FLYNN - 6/10 - Shakey Throughout
SHTANIUK - 6/10 - Shakey then a harsh dismissal
CLARKE - 5/10 - The Weakness on that side
GUDJONSON - 6/10 - Not Effective
O'CONNOR - 6/10 - Not his best game
HENRY - 6/10 - Muscled off the ball alot
GUNNLAUGSSON - 7/10 - Some nice touches
BURTON - 7/10 - Looks promising
SUBS:-
HOEKSTRA - 7/10 - Fantasic Skills, made fools of Reading players!
IWELUMO 6/10 - InEffective
COOKE - 6/10 - InEffective
REFEREE - 2/10 - Referee's like that should not be in the game. Always favouring Reading in case of upseting their 'big support'.
SPORTS.COM MATCH REPORT =========================
Reading are a step closer to promotion, with Jamie Cureton's second half strike enough to sink visitors Stoke City.
Cureton, starting for the first time in 13 matches, pounced six minutes into the second half to crash home into the roof of the net after Stoke keeper Neil Cutler had blocked bravely at the feet of Nicky Forster.
However, the biggest surprise of this match was that there were not more goals in a game that saw Reading in command virtually from start to finish.
The home side managed 25 shots on goal, while the visitors boasting two new signings up front in Deon Burton and Arnar Gunnlaugsson, always carried a scoring threat on the break.
Forster had the first chance of the match for the home side, when his stunning dipping shot from 35 yards struck the crossbar early on.
Forster caused endless problems with his pace, but let himself down with wayward finishing from the many chances he created.
Cutler made several fine stops, denying Cureton from a goal-bound free-kick in the first half while substitute Darius Henderson also saw a late effort scrambled off the line.
Reading's failure to score a second goal made for a nail-biting finish, as Stoke offered a threat despite having defender Sergei Shtanyuk sent off on 62 minutes.
The Belarus international received red for clattering Sam Igoe, having already been booked for a foul on Forster.
Stoke put on a late charge and Karl Henry's side-foot shot was pushed over the crossbar by Phil Whitehead, who also appeared to get his fingertips to a Bjarni Gudjonsson shot that crashed against the crossbar.
The visitors then went even closer in the dying minutes, when Wayne Thomas saw a header scrambled off the line by Nicholas Shorey, with the visitors claiming handball by the Reading full-back