A revitalised Reading finally got their due in the closing minutes. But Newcastle, a flaccid team on this performance, hardly deserved the equaliser which briefly levelled the contest. Though, breathlessly, Reading gained a victory they fully deserved.

This was a game which was so vitally important for Reading to win, or at the very least not to lose. After their remarkable first season in the top division, achieved after more than a century of trying, there are those who are certain that they are now suffering from alleged “second season syndrome”.

You wonder how much Reading’s falling away since last season has to do with the loss of midfielder Steve Sid-well, who was able to join Chelsea on a free transfer. Among so many stars, he is essentially only in the supporting cast, and it is no surprise he has so far failed to impose himself at his new club.

With several potential right flankers absent, Reading deployed their chief opportunist, striker Kevin Doyle, out on the right, and after 13 minutes he – in a way that any winger by trade would have been proud – made what seemed an excellent chance for Leroy Lita. Newcastle’s left-sided defence, despite the presence of £6m Spanish left-back Jose Enrique, was scarcely in evidence when Doyle crossed the ball low and accurately, but Lita could not quite get hold of it, and the opportunity had gone.

Four minutes later, at the other end, the Newcastle right-back, Geremi sent a long, high searching ball into the Reading box. There, the ever alert and capable Michael Owen brought it down on his chest, only for Reading’s American goalkeeper Marcus Hahnemann to plunge at his feet. The ball went round the left-hand post for a corner. Sam Allardyce, the Newcastle manager, insisted afterwards that Hahnemann made contact with Owen and a penalty should have been awarded.

Newcastle were at last able to use the unquestionably talented midfielder Joey Barton in a central position but it was Reading who made most of the running in the first-half and several more of the chances; Newcastle’s half-chance being limited to Owen’s frustrated attempt.

In the latter minutes of the half a Reading goal would have come as no surprise. First Lita again emphasised the deficiencies of Newcastle’s defence on the left, forcing his way past Enrique and Claudio Cacapa before obliging Shay Given to dive on his shot at the near post.

Three minutes later there was a transient fright for Newcastle and their goalkeeper when Cacapa somewhat carelessly directed a back-pass to Given which rolled away from him and menacingly towards his goal. But the keeper scurried back to kick the ball clear.

Then Doyle set off on a brisk, effective run on the left, finishing with a cross flicked on by Stephen Hunt, but once again Lita could not do final damage, his shot flying over the bar.

A right-sided left-footed free kick by Nicky Shorey flew not far over the crossbar, and that was the end of the first half.

“Attack, attack, attack!” chorused the Newcastle fans behind the Reading goal at the start of the second half, with perhaps a faint note of desperation. In any event, it would be Reading who attacked and deservedly scored, with a spectacular goal after 53 minutes.

When Hunt crossed from the left, the ball was allowed by the Newcastle defence to reach the tall, red headed Dave Kitson, who scored with a glorious left-footed drive into the top right-hand corner.

Newcastle made a couple of substitutions, Nicky Butt in midfield, largely ineffective until then, being replaced by Charles N’Zogbia, while Nigeria international Obafemi Martins gave way to Alan Smith. Whether Matins deserved to be substituted was open to some debate. With Butt below par and Barton inevitably in need of match practice, the Newcastle strikers received little support, and therefore had little chance?

It was Reading, rising so far above their recent performances, who continued to have the edge and when the ever-active Doyle, quite happy on the right, sent over a high cross, Hunt just outside the box, connected with a header that flew just over the Newcastle bar.

Alas poor Duberry! The big centre-back had played with solid defiance but in the space of four minutes, he missed a fine chance and scored an own goal. On 72 minutes, with Newcastle’s defence distracted, James Harper’s free-kick reached an unmarked Duberry, but he shot weakly, straight at Given.

Four minutes later, when Emre took a free kick from the Newcastle right, the ball skimmed both Smith and Kitson to rebound into the goal from an unlucky Duberry.

A lively N’Zogbia dashed through for a shot which Hahnemann stopped but couldn’t hold. Then came to astonishing climax. Substitute Shane Long had scarcely been on the field when Shorey took a free-kick from the left in the 84th minute. Ibrahima Sonko flicked on and Long hooked the ball into the Newcastle net.