Joel Pereira: 6
Given nothing to do in the first half by a Peterborough United side that failed to record a shot on target and were very happy to shoot early (and over).
Opened the second half with a very standard save before having to get down low to pick up Ormerod’s low drive.
Almost made a nasty error in the 74th minute, but was able to clean up his mistake when he overplayed a ball and allowed Khela to win it in the box.
Threw himself at a low curling shot at his right post a few moments later.
Udoka Godwin-Malife: 6
Cleaned up a potential
counter-attack from a Reading corner with a really nice stab around the corner under pressure.
Helped Reading to push forward well with a pair of chances created.
Had to be withdrawn at half-time in the only marring element of his performance, with Willams falling on his ankles and causing him some discomfort.
Josh Knight: 6
Picked up a second start in seven days after helping Reading keep a clean sheet away at Plymouth Argyle.
Extremely happy to get very very far forward for a centre-back when Reading were in possession.. Took a good-looking shot in the box midway through the first half and was happy to dribble it into Posh territory as well.
Found himself free at the back post at a corner, but put his strong header onto the bar.
Withdrawn for Masterson in the second half.
Paudie O’Connor: 6
Made a pair of good interventions when Knight was caught up the field in the 16th minute, first delaying the winger and then clearing away the ball in the second phase from the cross.
Picked up an assist when he nodded down Savage’s set-play, helping Jamie Reid find his first goal in Reading colours.
Haydon Roberts: 7
Picked up a second assist of the season: a carbon copy of his first in the September game against Notts County. Roberts stepped forward into the final third when allowed by loose Posh defending, and spotting Marriott in the box, curled a fine early cross into the goalmouth.
Finished the first half well defensively, seeing out a cross with a man on his back.
A crucial player in buildup for Reading, and benefitted from having a left-footer to play into the channel in Savage.
Liam Fraser: 6
Made an outrageously impressive goalline clearance with Reading sure to concede in the 25th minute, hooking it away with a man on his back.
Played Reid in with a fine through ball for Reading’s fifth goal of the night, exploiting the space left in behind by a roaming centre-back.
Was otherwise mostly steady throughout, helping to shield the backline and keeping Peterborough from finding dangerous areas outside of the box to shoot.
Andy Rinomhota: 7
Finished off a fine passing sequence for Reading in the build-up to the opener, with a neat first-time ball to Daniel Kyerewaa in the box.
Buzzed about the field throughout, and helped Reading to see the game out in the second, directing traffic as Reading maintained possession.
Scrapped gamely throughout, giving away fouls but drawing three of his own when his escape artist antics successfully wound up the opposition.
Kyreece Lisbie: 6
Earned a yellow card for Williams in the opening 10 minutes with a nice first touch away from the winger drawing a shirt pull.
Sprung onto a ball forward to create the first big chance of the game for Reading – timed his run from the right side perfectly to receive, and then dropped the ball off to Kyerewaa when he couldn’t pick it out of his feet for a shot.
Almost latched onto a long curving ball around the backline as first half injury time began, but couldn’t quite get the ball under control with his first touch.
Opened up the space for Reading’s third goal with a drive down the right flank.
Replaced early in the second half as Leam Richardson looked to keep his key performers fit.
Charlie Savage: 8
He was always going to get this start, wasn’t he? He used it well, playing a nice searching ball forward within the opening five minutes for Marriott to chase.
Lucky to get away with a sloppy pass to a Posh player in the Reading half early on, with the pass surprising the Peterborough player as well.
Was always going to score today as well, but missed his first chance to do so. Fed the ball in the box by Kyerewaa, but blazed his shot over the net when in a great position.
Made up for that effort late in the first half. Finding space on the edge of the box, Savage drove a hard, low strike that found its way into the net via a deflection.
Opened the second half with a shot from just outside of the box, seeing it tipped over. Set up Kyerewaa on the edge of the box on the hour mark with a nice switch of play across the middle.
Was on set-play duties tonight, with the most effective of his deliveries resulting in Reading’s fourth goal of the night.
Daniel Kyerewaa: 7
Lively in the early stages as Reading looked to get forward. Played in Savage for a great chance when Lisbie had opened up space on the edge of the box.
Latched onto a nice give-and-go down the left flank to help Reading earn a corner.
Booked for dragging back his man to halt a Peterborough counter-attack. Shortly after, picked up a fine goal with some fast feet in the box, leading to his deflected finish bobbling past the ‘keeper.
Nicely stepped past a man on his next opportunity on the ball, clearly feeling confident after the strike.
Swung a leg at a first-time effort from Savage on the hour mark but put his strike over and around the top corner.
Jack Marriott: 7
Quiet in the opening half hour before bursting into the game with a standard “Marriott again” goal.
Dropped back nicely to help Reading retain possession in the move building up to the goal. Sensed the early cross coming from Roberts after the full-back stepped up, and smartly found the space between the two centre-backs to head home at close range.
Turned assister shortly after. Earned the ball in the box before setting Savage free for Reading’s third goal.
Made it 10 minutes into the second half before being understandably rested. Touched the ball just 12 times, with a third of those touches being shots or an assist. Efficient.
Subs
Ashqar Ahmed: 5
Brought on at half-time with the Royals three goals to the good. Immediately took an arm to the face for his troubles from Mills, earning the Posh full-back a yellow card. Picked up his own yellow card with a mistimed tackle.
Always shows good aggression in defence, doing so all the way up until the final whistle when he bundled into a clean tackle on the edge of the Posh box.
Randell Williams: 5
Played on the right side before switching sides when Osho entered the game. Failed to have much impact on either side, with sparingly little of the ball despite Reading recording over 60% possession in the second half.
Whipped a lovely cross in from the left late on, finding Reid and giving the striker a golden chance to complete his hat-trick.
Jamie Reid: 8
Got involved physically, immediately fouling the defender in his first aerial duel. Picked up his first Reading goal with a tidy chip of the keeper after O’Connor knocked the initial ball down from a set-piece.
Picked up a second just minutes later after finding a yawning chasm in the middle of the field to run through. Latched onto Fraser’s ball forward before calmly slotting the finish past the exposed keeper.
Earned a yellow card for former Royal Liam Kelly when he was tripped as he dribbled into the final third.
Conor Masterson: N/A
Replaced Josh Knight with the Royals five goals ahead. Helped Reading take the sting out of the final moments of the game, as the team looked to pass around at the back.
That meant that, despite coming on in the 78th minute, Masterson picked up only 10 fewer completed passes than Knight did in the entire game. Didn’t really have to defend otherwise.
Emmanuel Osho: N/A
Went out to the right flank as Reading looked to see the game out. Had a nice searching run down the right but lost possession as he reached the box.
Average: 6.42/10
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