FOR ALL the notion that anyone can beat anyone else in the Championship, the race for the Premier League involves three horses and a fistful of also-rans. Two of them, Birmingham City and Reading, were relegated on the last afternoon of last season by Fulham’s unlikely heroics at Portsmouth. They met yesterday separated by a point at kick-off and just as they fell for different reasons (lack of quality for Birmingham; lack of spine for Reading) they have wildly contrasting approaches visa-vis clambering back aboard the top table.

The hard-running, freeflowing craftsmen of Reading - already 3-0 victors at Wolves, the third member of the trinity - never looked in peril. Comfortable with the ball and not without panache, they ghosted past Birmingham’s windy, guileless bluster. “Our key players did well,” said Reading manager Steve Coppell, “but we need to back it up over the remainder of the Christmas programme.”

Looking every inch the attacking fish in defensive waters, James McFadden clumsily upended Noel Hunt on the edge of the penalty area after 15 minutes. For this Noel, Christmas came early. He picked himself up and curled the free kick around a wall displaying the consistency and mobility of Shredded Wheat. Maik Taylor might have done better than help the ball past him with a flappy palm. Moments later it should have been two, but Hunt’s older brother Stephen completely missed his kick when James Henry crossed low and hard along the six-yard line.

As if going behind had exhausted their reserves of spirit, Birmingham struggled for cohesion and the crowd turned sullen.

Yet, give Kevin Phillips a chance and he’ll usually take it. So, when Kalifa Cisse dallied in the centre circle, Lee Carsley robbed him and found Phillips, who hurtled towards goal with one thought in his mind, as Michael Duberry backed off. When he reached the edge of the penalty area, Phillips fired handsomely past Adam Federici and the tide seemed to be turning.

Instead, Birmingham drowned. Six minutes later, another cheaply conceded free kick brought another Reading goal. David Murphy clattered into Hunt major. The victim lobbed in the free kick and Kevin Doyle soared above Radhi Jaidi to head beyond Taylor.

This time Reading maintained their concentration, although they were fortunate when Cameron Jerome inadvertently blocked Jaidi’s goalbound header after Sebastian Larsson’s corner and Federici stretched every last sinew to tip over Phillips’s thunderbolt.

Instead, Reading scored a third when Doyle crossed deep from the right for Cisse to atone for his error by leaping above a flat-footed Stuart Parnaby and ensuring his team will enjoy Christmas trailing only Wolves.

“We had chances,” lamented Birmingham manager Alex McLeish. “Reading aren’t a beautiful footballing team, but they finished clinically and we didn’t.”

Star man: Stephen Hunt (Reading) Yellow cards: Birmingham: Queudrue Reading: Rosenior, Federici Referee: M Dean Attendance:19,695

BIRMINGHAM:Taylor 5, Parnaby 5, Jaidi 5, Queudrue 5, Murphy 5, Larsson 5 (Bent 75min), Carsley 6, Quashie 5, McFadden 5 (Owusu-Abeyie 69min), Phillips 6, Jerome 5

READING:Federici 7, Rosenior 6, Duberry 6, Ingimarsson 7, Armstrong 6, Henry 6 (Gunnarsson 75min), Cisse 6, Harper 6, S Hunt 7, Doyle 7, N Hunt 6 (Long 27min, 6)