Reading's Jimmy Kébé sees off Sunderland with late header - The Guardian

The law of averages suggested scoring a late goal for the fourth time in as many matches should prove beyond Reading, but not so. Having put his side ahead with a fine strike after seven minutes, only five minutes of normal time remained when the Mali international winger Jimmy Kébé rose at the far post to win Reading a potentially crucial three points with a header direct from a free-kick.

Brian McDermott's decision not to start his in-form striker Adam Le Fondre was probably still being debated when Reading took the lead. Garath McCleary had played the ball down the left for his captain Jobi McAnuff – who had been booked after barely 15 seconds for a challenge on Adam Johnson – to beat Sebastian Larsson and cut the ball back across the penalty area. A clever touch with his left foot allowed Kébé to bring the ball under control and wrong-foot the Sunderland defenders. It bought him time to look up and, from close to the penalty spot, stroke the ball high beyond Simon Mignolet and into the top corner of the net.

Sunderland, with new midfield signing Alfred N'Diaye reproducing the impressive form he showed on his debut at Wigan, came back strongly.

Adam Federici had to pull off a double save when his diving effort to keep out N'Diaye's low shot rebounded to Larsson, but the Reading keeper could do nothing soon afterwards when Pavel Pogrebnyak, back defending a corner, caught John O'Shea with a needless tackle in the penalty area. Craig Gardner struck the spot-kick crisply to Federici's right.

The visitors had Mignolet to thank for not going into the break behind. Ian Harte's deep free-kick, swung in from the right with his left foot, was met by Pogrebnyak on the six-yard line, but the Sunderland goalkeeper reacted smartly to push away the Russian's glancing header.

Mignolet was less impressive shortly after half-time, getting down very slowly to block Harte's long distance, and far from powerful free-kick. He was fortunate Reading failed to take advantage of the loose ball.

Had Le Fondre been on the pitch they might have done. The Reading fans were chanting his name well before the hour mark and he appeared with the best part of 25 minutes remaining. Perhaps aware that teams around Reading looked likely to pick up points, McDermott also sent on Nick Blackman, the striker bought from Sheffield United during the last days of the transfer window.

Adrian Mariappa went close, the Reading centre-back meeting Harte's corner with a header that Mignolet, without knowing too much about it, deflected on to the top of the bar.

N'Diaye, bursting into the penalty area, missed a great chance for Sunderland, slicing his shot horribly wide, while Danny Graham – on for the final 10 minutes – had his close-range header well saved by Federici before Kébé steered his late header past Mignolet.