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BORO slumped to a second successive defeat after a defensive horror show at Reading.
A chaotic backline gifted the Royals an early opener as a mix-up let in Adam Le Fondre to bundle home after just nine minutes then soon after George Friend headed a second into his own net.
Then in a disorganised display lacking cohesion or spirit Aitor Karanka's side unravlled and they were lucky to escape severe punishment after a string of blunders at the back
Boro reverted to a back four after the defeat at Millwall with Ben Gibson returning from a ban, George Friend from injury and Jozsef Varga from the bench.
Luke Williams was promoted to start in the centre of midfield with Lee Tomlin and Jacob Butterfield dropped along with Grant Leadbitter.
Reading showed first in the third minute as Williams cut inside Dean Whitehead then unleashed a stinging 22 yard drive that sent Konstantopoulos full length to block then George Friend tidied up.
Boro made some tentative early probes as first a long range Luke Williams effort was deflected wide then Albert Adomah burst into the box onto a chip by Emmanuel Ledesma but the Reading keeper was quickly off his line to hoof clear.
But Reading took advantage of a mix-up in the Boro box to take the lead after only nine minutes.
Left-back Obita over-lapped to the corner flag and whipped what looked a routine cross to the near post and as Konstantopoulos came to collect, Kenneth Omeruo popped up to head the ball high and when it dropped to the back stick McCleary knocked it down for ADAM LE FONDRE to bundle home past the keeper.
Boro had a chance to pull one back quickly on 11 minutes as Williams skipped over a challenge and slotted to the edge of the box where Danny Graham sent a shot flashing wide.
But Reading grabbed a crucial second to an own goal on 14 minutes.
Obita curled a free-kick in from wide on the right into a crowded box and GEORGE FRIEND climbed highest but he never got a clean contact and his header squirted in past Konstantopoulos.
Boro tried to regroup and had a chance on 18 minutes as a goalbound snapshot from Adomah was deflected over then they won a series of corners that were easily cleared.
There was a long hold up as Robson-Kanu needed treatment for a smashed nose picked up in an accidental collision with Gibson before going off in the 29 minute with Pogrebnyak coming on.
Boro's shaky defence was almost breeched again on 31 minutes as a harmless diagonal ball was played forward and botk Omeruo and Friend left it and as they dithered McCleary nipped in to collect and weave to the edge of the box then lay it back for Le Fondre to crack in a shot that sent Konstantopoulos diving to block.
On 33 minutes Whitehead was booked for pulling back Pogrebnyak.
Then from a Obita corner on 34 minutes the defence stood rooted as Pearce nodded it back across from the far post for Morrison to head just over unchallenged from close range.
Boro almost clawed one back on 37 minutes as Ledesma cut in from the right to drill in a low shot that the keeper did well to block then when the rebound was scrambled away Adomah darted down the left but his low ball into the box was easily cleared.
Then on 40 minutes Boro threatened again as Ledesma danced around his marker on the edge of the box then lashed in a shot that the keeper fumbled away.
Varga was booked on 41 minutes for a foul on McAnuff.
There was a scrappy spell of poor passing and poor control from both sides that continued through seven minutes of stoppage time.
HALF-TIME: READING 2 BORO 0
Boro brought on Grant Leadbitter for Chalobah at the break.
They showed some early urgency but long balls forward were easily collected by unflustered Reading.
Five minutes after play resumed Reading Guthrie limped off with Akpan coming off the bench.
Boro probed on 52 minutes as Varga played a good one-two with Ledesma to get down the right but his final ball in towards Graham was poor and easily hooked away at the near post.
Then a slotted Whitehead ball out to the right found Ledesma who curled to the far post but keeper McCarthy back-pedalled to collect before Williams could connect.
Reading were back on the attack on the hour as they won a free-kick and when Obita's ball in was headed clear it fell to McCleary 22 yards out and his thundering drive was bravely blocked by Leadbitter.
And on 63 minutes Gunter over-lapped down the right unchallenged and when he whipped in a cross for Le Fondre to power in a close range header that clipped the bar and flew over.
On 65 minutes Boro put on Lee Tomlin for Ledesma.
On 67 minutes McAnuff was booked for a foul on Tomlin.
Then on 70 minutes Akpan won a tackle on Friend and McAnuff whipped the loose ball in to the near post where Pogrebnyak put a looping header onto the roof of the net.
On 72 minutes Friend was booked for a foul on Gunter.
Reading should have wrapped it up on 77 minutes as Pogrebnyak seized onto a weak header by Omeruo 20 yards out then skipped past Gibson then hammered a low shot towards the far post but Konstantopoulos went full length to push it behind.
Boro made a rare raid forward on 81 minutes as Williams carried the ball to the edge of the box but then with no support he flicked a weak angled shot into the arms of the keeper
Then soon after Tomlin barged through a tackle 25 yards out and lashed an ambitious shot over.
On 88 minutes Tomlin was booked for dissent after tangling with McAnuff.
IN stoppage time Reading almost broke through as a high ball into the box was only half-cleared and McCleary hit a low shot that Konstantopoulos pushed wide then Friend tidied up.
BORO (4231) Konstantopoulos, Varga, Gibson, Omerou, Friend; Chalobah (Leadbitter, 46), Whitehead (C); Ledesma (Tomlin 65), Adomah, L Williams; Graham. Subs: Steele; Woody, Ayala; Butts, Leadbitter, Main.
READING (4411): McCarthy; Gunter, Obita, Morrison, Pearce; Williams, Guthrie (Akpan 49), McAnuff (C), McCleary; Robson-Kanu (Pogrebnyak 29), Le Fondre. Subs: Federici, Cummings, Hector, Leigertwood, Drenthe.
Ref: James Adcock (Lancs)
Att: 17,228 (659 Boro).
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