Preston move fifth following victory at Reading

Preston North End moved up to fifth in the Championship as they beat Reading to clinch their third consecutive league win.

Reading levelled with 20 minutes remaining as Lucas Joao made no mistake from the spot after Brady brought down Andy Yiadom.

Evans struck the winner having collected the ball just outside the box before he fired low past Reading keeper Joe Lumley.

The result moves Preston up three places and into the Championship’s top six, continuing their winning run, while Reading remain 11th following a fifth defeat in seven games.

Preston came into the match off the back of a poor defensive run on their travels, conceding eight goals in their past four away Championship games, but they kept Reading out in a drab first 45 minutes.

Neither side offered much before the break and seemed to cancel each other out, with Brady forcing a good save from Lumley just before half-time as Preston registered the first meaningful shot on goal.

Brady was involved as Preston broke the deadlock early in the second half as he curled a ball in from the right which Evans did well to glance into the bottom left-hand corner.

Preston’s lead lasted just 20 minutes as Joao fired his penalty past Preston goalkeeper Freddie Woodman but there was drama to come as the game wound down.

Evans, who had scored his first goal in 35 appearances earlier on, bagged his second of the evening following some superb work down the right wing from Ben Woodburn, who laid the ball off for Evans to hit his decisive low shot.