Another cruel call puts Cats back in drop zone

Admittedly, Sunderland were awful in the first half at the Madejski Stadium and only some poor finishing from Reading and a wonder save from Gordon - again from Hunt - meant it remained 0-0 at half-time.

But they improved significantly in the second period and might even have snatched an unlikely win.

Hunt hit the post early in the secondd half before Ivar Ingimarsson eventually put Reading ahead in the 69th minute with a close-range finish, following up after Gordon stopped a header from Ibrahima Sonko.

Then a foul by Sonko on Kenwyne Jones gave Sunderland a penalty, which was converted by Michael Chopra with eight minutes left.

Jones missed a gilt-edged chance to put Sunderland ahead in the last minute of normal time, hitting his shot straight at the keeper's legs, before the late drama which saw Reading snatch victory.

At the moment, everything seems to be going against the Black Cats - and they face Manchester United next, on Boxing Day!

SUNDERLAND: Gordon, Whitehead, Collins, McShane, Higginbotham, Yorke, Leadbitter, Chopra (Stokes 88), Murphy (Wallace 62), Jones, Cole (Etuhu 62). Subs not used: Ward, Harte

READING: Hahnemann, Murty, Shorey, Sonko, Ingimarsson, Gunnarsson, Harper, Convey (Long 84), Hunt, Doyle, Kitson. Subs not used: Cisse, Lita, Bikey, Federici

REF: Steve Tanner (Dorset)

ATTENDANCE: 24.082

BOOKINGS: Murphy, Leadbitter, Jones, Yorke (Sunderland)