SUNDERLAND’S seemingly inexorable march towards the Premiership was abruptly halted by play-off contenders Reading, who came from behind to claim an improbable victory and end the Championship leaders’ eight-match winning sequence.

With Ipswich visiting Wolves tomorrow, Sunderland remain five points clear at the top, but promotion no longer looks the formality it did when Julio Arca finally prevailed in his personal duel with Reading goalkeeper Marcus Hahnemann.

The American had foiled the Argentinian on four occasions before Arca headed Sunderland in front seven minutes after half-time. Marcus Stewart crossed from the right, Dean Whitehead flicked on, and Arca stooped to register his eighth goal of the season.

But Reading manager Steve Coppell then brought on two old warhorses in defender Martin Keown and striker Les Ferdinand, and the changes had the desired effect.

The impact of former Newcastle favourite Ferdinand, taunted by the home fans with chants of “Magpie reject”, was particularly telling.

It was Ferdinand’s flick-on that caused chaos in the Sunderland rearguard in the 76th minute and Dave Kitson took full advantage of a fortuitous ricochet or two to fire beyond substitute keeper Michael Ingham, who had come on at half-time for Thomas Myhre after the Norwegian international picked up a back injury.

Jeff Whitley, another replacement, then upended Steve Sidwell to gift Reading an 82nd-minute penalty that Kitson hammered home for his 19th League goal this term.

Whitley, who had replaced Liam Lawrence in midfield in the 70th minute, drove wide soon afterwards in a vain attempt to atone, but when Whitehead headed wide from Arca’s cross near the end, Sunderland knew they were beaten.

Coppell said: “It’s intimidating here; it’s the first time I’ve been. The atmosphere asks questions of players. For a long period I felt we were passive in the game. It was only when we went 1-0 down and changed things that we took advantage of the breaks. In the last half-hour we looked part of the action, rather than lambs to the slaughter. The keeper was superb. He was our best player.

“Les would be an automatic choice for a lot of teams. I have the conundrum of how to get the best out of him, but it’s a nice problem to have.”

Sunderland manager Mick McCarthy refused to criticise his side. “I thought we played very well and should have had it won. We were up against an inspired keeper. This highlights that it’s not over.”

Sunderland had been seeking to equal the nine-game winning run of Peter Reid’s side nine years ago when they went on to lift the Football League title.

With Sunderland legend Charlie Hurley, Reading’s manager when the sides met during the Wearsiders’ fairytale 1973 FA Cup-winning run, among the match-day guests yesterday, there was already a whiff of nostalgia in the air.

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