Jack Marriott's first-half strike looked to be the difference between the sides at the Select Car Leasing Stadium but Mason Burstow's last gasp equaliser earnt Wanderers a point.
Making his full debut this evening Johnny Kenny had a fantastic chance to put Wanderers a goal to the good inside the first 60 seconds. The forward beat the offside trap and raced away towards goal and shot. But Joel Pereira got down well to his right to parry the ball away for a corner.
On 13 minutes Liam Fraser tried a sighter for the hosts as the Whites dealt with the original danger in the area and cleared it as far as the defender. His strike was sweet but just went over the cross bar from 25-yards.
Sam Dalby is in fine form at the moment and almost notched another on his tally five minutes later. Ibrahim Cissoko provided the ball in from the left for the striker to head home but Dalby could only place the ball over the bar.
22 minutes played and Kamari Doyle tried his best to force an opening. The winger got down the right flank and ran into the area but the angle was always against him as the attempt was smashed hard but over the bar.
Another chance for Dalby after 29 minutes as Josh Sheehan whipped in a free-kick from the edge of the area on the left. Dalby met it with his head and the ball somehow went wide of Pereira’s near post.
A bombardment of chances for the Whites. This time Rob Apter beat his man on the right to cut in onto his dangerous left foot and looked to curl the ball goal bound but Pereira was equal to it and claimed the ball in the air.
But Wanderers failed to take their chances and were punished for it on 36 minutes. Charlie Savage sent a searching ball for Jack Marriott on the right who rushed clear into the area and smashed the ball over the head of Jack Bonham to give the Royals the lead.
Reading had the chance to add to their lead before the break. Cissoko was dispossessed by Ryan Nyambe who ran the length of the pitch before setting up Marriott again in a similar position to where he scored from but this time the forward could only find the side netting.
The Whites went down the other end following that attack and almost equalised. Apter broke down the right and once more was allowed to cut in on his left to shoot. This time Pereira was rooted to the spot but the effort just went wide.
Wanderers started the second half brightly with plenty of possession but without creating a clear chance. Ten minutes into the second half Max Conway sent Kenny down the left. The striker sent an enticing low ball into the middle looking for Dalby which was cleared as far as Cissoko but his side-footed volley went over the bar from outside the area.
Substitute Corey Blackett-Talyor came close, on 76 minutes, but could not bring Wanderers level. Apter’s ball to the back post went over the heads of the Reading defenders to the feet of Blackett-Taylor but he could not direct a strike on target.
But deep into stoppage time, the pressure paid off. A Cyrus Christie corner found Ruben Rodrigues at the back post who played it back across goal for Mason Burstow to tap home an equaliser to give the Whites a point.
Wanderers | Bonham, Osei-Tutu (82’ Christie), Forino, Johnston, Conway, Sheehan, Erhahon (70’ Rodrigues), Apter (77’McAtee), Kenny (77’ Burstow), Cissoko (70’ Blackett-Taylor), Dalby.
Substitutes | Harrington, Dempsey
Reading | Pereira, Dorsett, Roberts (17’ Lane), Fraser, Marriott (59’ Ehibhatiomhan, Savage, Wing, O'Connor (65’ Burns), Ward, Nyambe, Doyle (59’ Keane)
Substitutes | Stevens, Yiadom, Young
Referee | Peter Wright