Martyn Waghorn fires Leicester City into play-off spots

Leicester City piled more problems on lowly Reading with a Martyn Waghorn winner at the Madejski Stadium last night.

Waghorn made his first league start for City and was rewarded with a 44th-minute goal to consolidate the team's push for the play-offs.

His header from a Matt Oakley corner was a real sucker-punch after Reading dominated the first half and City battled ferociously to protect their advantage after the break.

City made two changes from the side which started their last Walkers Stadium outing in the 2-0 win over Crystal Palace.

Paul Gallagher, who struck twice off the bench against Palace, was preferred to Lloyd Dyer, who dropped out of the squad completely.

Striker Steve Howard was demotion to the bench, with Waghorn partnering Matty Fryatt up-front.

City were hoping this was just the right time to play Reading with some home fans running out of patience with manager Brendan Rodgers.

There were cries of "Rodgers Out" following last week's 4-1 defeat at QPR and the Royals also had an abysmal home run going into the match.

Reading had not won at the Madejski Stadium since January, a run of 15 games, and Rodgers made six changes to try to halt Reading's slide.

It certainly worked at first as City found themselves right up against it in the first half only to snatch the lead a minute from the break.

Reading showed most of the early threat. Jobi McAnuff broke clear down the right in the first minute and found space for a shot which was straight at Chris Weale in the City goal.

Wayne Brown was pushed by Grzegorz Rasiak to give City a free-kick, delivered long by McGivern. But Matty Fryatt's header was comfortably dealt with by Adam Federici in the Reading goal. Rasiak was allowed too much space to set up Simon Church, who made a threatening break, and his shot was deflected for a corner as the home side belied their problems with a decent start.

After eight minutes of frenetic action, Gallagher and Oakley combined well to set up Fryatt but his snap-shot went wide.

A minute later, Fryatt's attempt from longer range was straight at Federici.

Rasiak had a terrific chance to put the Royals ahead after 10 minutes but dwelled too long and McGivern cleared.

City did not heed the warning and Rasiak was again given too much room. This time, his shot went just wide.

City had a real escape after 24 minutes when McAnuff and Church combined down the right and McAnuff's shot struck a post and deflected to safety off McGivern.

It was backs-to-the-wall stuff for City and Church had another attempt go wide as the match approached the half-hour mark.

City had a good chance after 29 minutes, but Gallagher curled his shot just over the crossbar from 15 yards.

It was a brief respite for City as Marek Matejovsky clipped a shot straight at Weale, who had done well to deal initially with McAnuff's right-wing cross.

City were being stretched by Reading's forward play and Church missed another opportunity after 33 minutes, this time shooting just wide with an angled drive from the edge of the six-yard box.

Church's snap-shot after 36 minutes was brilliantly pushed away one-handed by Weale as the home side kept up the pressure.

But City stunned their hosts by snatching the lead two minutes from the break.

Matt Oakley delivered a corner from the right and Waghorn exploited the space he was given at the near post with an accurate header past Federici.

Reading were visibly stunned by the goal and Fryatt then burst clear but his shot was smothered by Federici.

The start of the second half mirrored much of the first, with McAnuff raiding down the Royals' right and Church shooting into the side-netting.

City broke quickly three minutes into the half with Fryatt again in the clear but his attempt was smothered by Federici

Manager Nigel Pearson made a double substitution just before the hour with Howard and DJ Campbell replacing Fryatt and Waghorn.

Rasiak was mis-cueing like his strike partner Church and missed another chance after 63 minutes.

Reading then made their own double change to try to force their way back into the match.

But City continued to pose a threat on the break and Campbell was crowded out after good build-up play involving Howard and McGivern.

Royals substitute Long then fired over the crossbar.

Howard's physical presence was causing Reading problems and Mills was booked for a challenge on the City man.

Campbell was inches away from grabbing a second for City with a neat volley deflected for a corner before Mills fired over from close range for the home side.

In the final two minutes, City looked to finish off the contest but Oakley steered his shot just wide of the far post. Howard also had a shot go just wide in stoppage-time.