Aston Villa 1 Reading 1: Last second Sam Baldock penalty cancels out Ahmed El Mohamady opener
Villains were cruising to a narrow victory with seconds left before Josh Sims went down under a James Chester challenge
READING snatched a point from Aston Villa with a Sam Baldock penalty in the 93rd minute.
Steve Bruce’s men thought they were cruising to a narrow victory thanks to an Ahmed El Mohamady goal.
But Josh Sims went down under a James Chester challenge with seconds to go and the Royals striker converted.
Villa lost playmaker Jack Grealish to a first-half injury but that did not prevent them from opening the scoring.
On 51 minutes Anwar El Ghazi crossed into the box and the Egyptian nodded home.
But, with just seconds of the game remaining, sub Sims drew the former West Brom defender into fouling him and the spot-kick hit the net.
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Before the game, Villa manager Bruce was in an animated conversation on the pitch with the club's new owners, Wes Edens and Nassef Sawiris.
In the match programme they claimed: "There is a lot of hard work required for the club to re-establish itself in the highest echelons of English football where we believe it belongs. It is important that any progress is sustainable."
There was nearly a flying start when the tenacious John McGinn chased what appeared to be a hopeless cause only to win possession off Tyler Blackett.
But with the unmarked Jonathan Kodjia waiting for the pass, McGinn instead attempted a shot which keeper Vito Mannone saved at the second attempt.
In an open game, Villa left themselves vulnerable to the counter attack and it was only a fine recovery by Birkir Bjarnason which prevented Jon Dadi Bodvarsson creating a clear-cut opening.
Reading continued to live dangerously and their ragged defence was often stretched to the limit. Mannone made a brave save from Anwar El Ghazi while Chester smashed a 12-minute effort against the bar.
Kodjia, Villa's two-goal hero against Brentford in midweek, had another of his frustrating games when he failed to pose any real danger to the Royals as he was kept in tight check by skipper Liam Moore.#
Villa's prospects were somewhat dented when they were forced to bring on Conor Hourihane at the start of the second half for Grealish, who had not made his usual impact.
But they shrugged off this disappointment by rising to the challenge and taking the lead through the unmarked Elmohamady, who was on hand to head home a left-wing cross from El Ghazi.
Nine minutes from time Villa goalkeeper Orjan Nyland earned his spurs with two reflex goal-line saves in quick succession from Baldock and substitute Yakou Meite.
But Baldock had the last laugh when he converted a penalty at the death.
More to follow...