Yann Kermorgant’s stunning first half strike saw Reading edge Leeds 1-0 and move above the Whites into fourth place in the Championship.

The 35-year-old pounced to slam a wonderful strike past the helpless Rob Green after just 21 minutes, in what turned out to be the winner in a crucial top-of-the-table clash at the Madejski Stadium.

Jaap Stam’s Royals could easily have had more goals from the afternoon, with Roy Beerens and Garath McCleary both guilty of missing good chances, while Garry Monk’s Leeds struggled to properly impose themselves on proceedings.

The win takes the Berkshire side above the Whites into fourth place, and they are now seven points clear of seventh place Sheffield Wednesday in the race to finish in the top six come May.

Both teams started with a good tempo but it was the hosts who had the first chance of the game, with Beerens winning the ball back inside the Leeds half and playing in the impressive Jonathan Swift, who fired over the bar from just inside the box when he really should have done better.

Leeds did show glimpses of quality in the early stages – Reading goalkeeper Ali Al-Habsi completely missed Pablo Hernandez’s free-kick only for Kyle Bartley to head into the side-netting from an acute angle, before Alfonso Pedraza struck wide as Monk’s men began to show some promise.

However, it was the hosts who got the breakthrough when McCleary tried to find Chris Gunter with a quick throw-in, only for Charlie Taylor to head away. Yet, the loose ball broke to Kermorgant on the edge of the box, and he fired a fantastic effort past the helpless Green in the Leeds goal – the former England goalkeeper got a hand to it but couldn’t keep it out.

Beerens then had a great chance to double Reading’s lead seven minutes before half time when he took down Swift’s brilliant ball forward, but the former Hertha Berlin forward was off balance and fired over on the edge of the penalty area.

Nonetheless, the Royals kept pushing and could easily have doubled their lead moments before the half time whistle, with first McCleary well denied by Green when one-on-one with the visiting goalkeeper, before Kermorgant did get the better of the 37-year-old, only to be denied by the post.

Leeds started the second half with more purpose but it was the hosts who came closest to netting the second, with Beerens once again guilty as he was one-on-one with Green after a fine cross from Kermorgant, only to fail to make a telling connection.

The visitors did threaten when Hernandez struck towards Al-Habsi’s near post, although it was comfortable for the Oman international, while Kermorgant forced another save out of Green at the other end, with the Leeds keeper tipping his goal-bound header over the bar from Swift’s free-kick.

Leeds defender Liam Cooper appeared to stamp on substitute Reece Oxford’s head late on when retreating from a corner, although that was not seen by referee Keith Stroud, and although Monk’s men went in search of an equaliser, the Reading backline stood firm to clinch a 21st league win of the campaign.

On what was an exciting and enthralling encounter at the Madejski Stadium, here are FIVE things we learned as Reading edged Leeds in the Championship…

Kermorgant has final say

Yann Kermorgant riled many Leeds fans earlier in the week with his comments about Leeds, stating that they are a ‘one man’ team given that Chris Wood is their top-scorer with 24 goals this term.

And the 35-year-old made sure that he had the final say with a thunderous strike to give Reading the lead, and ultimately the three points.

The Frenchman reacted quickest when Charlie Taylor’s defensive header broke to the edge of the box to fire past Green, who got a hand to it but couldn’t keep it out.

It was a moment of real quality which ultimately settled an exciting encounter at the Madejski Stadium.

Rare off day for Leeds

Although Reading were very good in the first half, Leeds certainly didn’t help themselves.

Monk’s men were sloppy in possession and struggled to string more than three or four passes together, and striker Wood was very isolated throughout proceedings.

Second half was an improvement but the midfield men still struggled to find Wood in good attacking positions, with it more likely that Reading would add to their advantage on the break.

It could easily have been more for the hosts, and Leeds are left to reflect on what was very much an off-day at the Madejski Stadium.

Missed chances to haunt both sides

Both teams had chances during the game, and it looked like Reading’s would come back to haunt them the longer the game was 1-0.

Beerens had two great opportunities to grab that all-important second goal, firstly firing over from the edge of the box, before finding himself with just Green to beat, only to fail to force the keeper into a save.

And Leeds will also look back on Kyle Bartley’s header early in the proceedings, with the centre-back profiting from Al-Habsi’s missed punch but only heading into the side-netting.

Ultimately, Reading held on to secure the win, but it certainly could have been a lot more, and thus a slightly easier final 20 minutes for the hosts.

Much talk about Wood, but little impact he made

Much in the build-up was made about whether or not Chris Wood would be fit to start and thus try and add to his 24 Championship goals this term.

He did make the starting eleven, but didn’t have the desired effect. Although that cannot be blamed entirely on him.

The New Zealand international struggled to impose himself on the Reading backline throughout the first half, but the service to him from the likes of Hadi Sacko and Pablo Hernandez wasn’t good enough.

Too often crosses would fail to beat the first man or through balls would go astray, and although Leeds improved in the second period, Wood was still on the periphery of the action.

Reading striker Yann Kermorgant said in the week that Leeds were a ‘one-man’ team, such has been Wood’s displays this term, but it was clear from Saturday that the striker cannot do it all on his own – the service to him needs to be better, and at the level it has been for much of the campaign.

Liam Kelly ran the show

Without doubt, one of the standout performers at the Madejski Stadium on Saturday was Liam Kelly, who was absolutely outstanding in the Reading midfield.

The 21-year-old has struggled with injury in recent weeks, which forced him to withdraw from Martin O’Neill’s Ireland squad, but looked assured and totally dominated the midfield, be it in the defensive area snuffing out Leeds attacks, or when he looked to go forward and launch attacks – in fact, Reading had less control when he came off for Jordon Mutch in the 67th minute.

He, Swift, and Danny Williams all worked well to give the hosts an excellent platform from which to go forward, but it was Kelly who was the main man.

He was everywhere, demonstrating an incredible work-rate and insatiable appetite to cover every blade of grass, while also being very comfortable on the ball in his own half and when under pressure.

He has had a wonderful breakthrough season at the Madejski Stadium, but this was arguably his best performance yet in a Reading shirt.