WHEN Bristol City and Reading meet there are usually plenty of goals and yesterday was no different,writes . Reading’s 4-1 win at Ashton Gate took the tally to 28 goals in the sides’ past six meetings.

Kevin Doyle fired Reading in front from 12 yards after 14 minutes, the first goal City had conceded in 405 minutes. Noel Hunt made it two soon after, and that was doubled eight minutes after the break. Doyle struck from six yards for his 11th of the season, with Kalifa Cisse hitting a fourth from 25 yards. Stern John scored for City in stoppage time.

Gary Johnson, the Bristol City manager, admitted his side had been outplayed in all departments. “It was like a knife through butter at times and we have a lot of hard work ahead next week,” he said.

Southampton, with a side whose average age was 19, won for the first time in six matches through a second-half comeback that turned a two-goal deficit into a 3-2 win.

Billy Jones and Stephen Elliott made it comfortable for the home side at half-time, but Alex Pearce’s 64th-minute header started a thrilling recovery. Andy Surman headed the equaliser from six yards and David McGoldrick ran through the Preston defence to calmly slot in the last-minute winner.

Blackpool also left it late but two goals in the final five minutes ensured a 4-3 win at Watford. Will Hoskins and Keith Southern exchanged early goals. Grzegorz Rasiak fired the home side back in front, but Blackpool replied through Ben Burgess.

Again Watford went in front when Tommy Smith converted a penalty, and Blackpool equalised for a third time through Grant Taylor-Fletcher’s effort. Alan Gow hit the visitors’ winner three minutes into stoppage time. Aidy Boothroyd, the Watford manager, felt their defending left much to be desired. “There’s some absolute howlers taking place,” he said.

Jon Stead came off the bench to score twice as Ipswich beat Queens Park Rangers 2-0. The on-loan forward had been on the pitch just five minutes when he headed in Gareth McAuley’s cross and then converted Owen Garvan’s corner.

Chris Eagles scored twice as inform Burnley rallied in the second half to win 2-0 against Norwich, whose manager, Glenn Roeder, was beginning his second year in charge. Eagles, who has started half his matches from the bench since his £1.25m move from Manchester United in the summer, fired in Chris McCann’s cross in the 55th minute. Five minutes later he dispatched his fourth goal of the campaign from Robbie Blake’s pass.

Swansea and Doncaster both won promotion from League One last season, but for the first quarter of this campaign that has been the only thing they have had in common. Yet they could not be separated yesterday, although Doncaster will be ruing just getting a point in a 0-0 draw.

Doncaster, who had lost nine of their previous 10 matches, had the chance to win the game five minutes from time, but Paul Heffernan’s penalty, after Darren Pratley’s infringement, was saved by Dimitrios Konstantopoulos.

Crystal Palace and Sheffield Wednesday drew 1-1 at Selhurst Park, Ben Watson’s penalty for the home side cancelling out Leon Clarke’s seventh-minute goal.

Luciano Becchio’s header, his fifth goal in five games, helped Leeds United move into second place in League One with a 1-0 win at Cheltenham, who lost a fourth straight match. Leeds are one point behind leaders Scunthorpe, who drew 3-3 at home with Swindon.