Icelandic striker scored goals in two different shirts after Reading switched to away strip at half-time due to kit clash
BOD almighty was the answer to Reading’s prayers with a hat-trick to kill off brave Boro.
League Two's Stevenage had the Royals on the ropes and looking groggy until towering Icelandic striker Jon Dadi Bodvarsson fired home in the 32nd minute.
Bodvarsson, a hero of Iceland’s epic Euro 2016 campaign, struck again with a powerful header a minute before half-time and completed his treble with a 64th-minute tap-in.
That didn’t exactly get a thunderclap from the tiny 4,986 crowd, but it lifted the pressure on Reading boss Jaap Stam, who had seen his side go eight games without a win and made 10 changes for this tie.
Stevenage had started in do-or-die mood and lively striker Matt Godden gave their Championship opponents a scare in the seventh minute as he attempted to sprint clear into the penalty area.
Royals, centre-back Tyler Blackett managed to cut out the danger in time for keeper Anssi Jaakkola to gather safely.
Three minutes later, Stevenage ‘scored’ when Godden headed home Joe Martin’s free-kick from the left, only to be ruled offside.
Jaakkola pulled off vital saves from Godden and Jack King with Reading, who survived a penalty shout when Godden was bundled over, barely able to get out of their half, let alone muster a shot.
But they snatched a shock lead when Chris Gunter’s cross from the left struck a defender on its way into the goalmouth and Bodvarsson was waiting to volley in from close range.
Bodvarsson struck again with Gunter again the provider.
The Welshman crossed from the left and the striker, running into the penalty area, powered in a bullet header that saw the ball rebound over the line after smashing into the inside of Boro keeper Tom King’s left-hand post.
Reading changed into their away orange tops at half-time because their shirts were so similar to the Stevenage kit.
And Newton could have changed the complexion of the game if he had connected properly with a free header in the 54th minute.
But the Gunter-Bodvarssion connection clicked into gear again for the Icelander to notch Reading’s third, doubling his goal total for the season.
