Oxford United 1-1 Reading: Royals rescue point after Ciaron Brown’s late own goal

Relegation-threatened Reading rescued a draw against Oxford United in League One through Ciaron Brown’s 76th-minute own goal.

The home side had led through Mark Harris’s eighth league goal of the season just after the half-hour mark.

The point leaves the Royals in the relegation zone and Oxford in sixth ahead of the 3pm kick-offs.

Much of the attention before the game focused on policing following 10 arrests at the previous meeting between the two sides.

But on the pitch it was the home team who started brighter and they were rewarded when Tyler Burey got in behind the Reading backline down the right-hand side and crossed to Cameron Brannagan on the left.

His ball across the face of goal eluded Royals goalkeeper David Button for a simple tap-in for Harris to make it 1-0.

Reading improved in the second half but lacked a cutting edge, frequently hitting long to their isolated striker Sam Smith.

But the introduction of Ehibhatiomhan on 74 minutes proved pivotal, as his cross two minutes later was diverted into his own net by the helpless Brown.

Both sides pushed for the winner, while Oxford lost Stephan Negru in stoppage time to what looked like a painful arm injury.