The Royals' escapologist-in-chief was once again Adam le Fondre, who continued his remarkable form from the bench with two goals in eight minutes to snatch the draw. The goals took his total to five in the past three Premier League games, all of them as a substitute and all of them pivotal in turning games in his side's favour. Ten days ago his double sank Newcastle at St James' Park; the previous week he scored the equaliser as Reading turned round a two-goal deficit here to defeat West Bromwich. This performance capped both.
Introduced by Brian McDermott in the 66th minute, immediately after Lampard had doubled Chelsea's lead, Le Fondre left it 20 minutes before going to work. His first goal owed much to another substitute, Hope Akpan, a 21-year-old graduate of the Everton and Crewe academies whose only previous appearance for Reading came as a substitute at Newcastle, where he laid on the winner.
Here, moments after Adam Federici had denied Oscar scoring a third goal with a fine save, he provided the pass that for the first time all evening split the Chelsea back line. Le Fondre got himself the wrong side of Branislav Ivanovic, stayed just onside and powered a left-foot shot first time inside Ross Turnbull's near post.
The goal brought the stadium to life, but there was still little excuse for the yips that seized Chelsea in the final minute of added time. With the last attack of the game Federici punted a free-kick forward, and somehow Ivanovic and Gary Cahill missed their headers. The bouncing ball was nodded across the Chelsea box by Jimmy Kebe where Le Fondre cushioned a side-foot volley into the roof of the net and sent the home fans that remained into raptures.
The smile that split Le Fondre's face contained as much disbelief as joy, and his manager could barely contain his. The win vaulted Reading over Aston Villa and Wigan and out of the relegation places and could prove hugely significant.
Defeat would have left Reading just three points ahead of bottom-club Queens Park Rangers, whose squad get stronger by the hour. Harry Redknapp's side now lie four back, and this result will fuel McDeromtt's optimism that Reading can stay up.
Having made a habit of stirring comebacks they began as if the intention was to avoid having to mount a similar rearguard action, with five men strung across midfield and lone striker Pavel Pogrebnyak.
It made for a game as congested as the M4 outside the ground but Chelsea, showing the patience and craft of European champions, kept working and were eventually rewarded.
The breakthrough came from Mata, who scored in first-half injury time after a one-two with Fernando Torres. With Plan A exposed, Reading had to be more positive but it left them exposed. They escaped narrowly once when Ian Harte denied Torres three yards out but respite was brief.
From the corner Lampard thumped home a header, prompting a round of "Sign him up!" from the fans who remain devoted, even if Abramovich is not. Those supporters will be preparing a less pleasant response for their next encounter with their manager. The drama is not done yet.
Team details
Reading: Federici; Harte, Pearce, Mariappa, Kelly; Leigertwood; McAnuff (Le Fondre 66), Guthrie (McCleary 58), Karacan (Akpan 77), Kebe; Pogrebnyak. Goals: Le Fondre 87, 90.
Subs: Taylor, Shorey, Morrison, Akpan, Robson-Kanu, McCleary, Le Fondre.
Chelsea: Turnbull, Azpilicueta, Cole, Cahill, Ivanovic; Ramires, Lampard (C); Oscar, Mata (Benayoun 77), Bertrand, Torres.
Subs: Hilario, Ferreira, Terry, Marin, Benayoun, Ake, Ba. Goals: Mata 45, Lampard 66.
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