Dec 12, 2015 at 3pm UK at ​Deepdale
Attendance: 10,649
PrestonPreston North End
1-0
Reading
Garner (52' pen.)
FT(HT: 0-0)

McCleary (40'), McShane (69'), Vydra (82')

Result: Joe Garner penalty wins it for Preston North End

Joe Garner's goal gives Preston North End a 1-0 win over Reading at Deepdale in the Championship.

Joe Garner's penalty was enough for Preston North End as they edged out Reading 1-0 at Deepdale in the Championship today.

A nice move from Reading early on saw Chris Gunter cross for Matej Vydra, but the delivery was taken off the forward's head by some good defending from Paul Huntington.

Oliver Norwood went close on five minutes when he curled a strike just wide from around 20 yards out and it was the Royals who started brighter in Lancashire.

Joe Garner of Preston North End celebrates with team mates after scoring from the penalty spot during the Sky Bet Championship match between Preston North End and Reading at Deepdale on December 12, 2015© Getty Images

However, it was PNE who had the best chance of the early going through Adam Reach who struck the inside of Jonathan Bond's post with the outside of his left foot.

Reading continued to push for the opener, and went close via a 30-yard free kick from Nick Blackman.

The home side had their lead shortly into the second period when Garner was bundled over inside the box by Paul McShane.

Garner picked himself up to dispatch from 12 yards for his third goal in four games for North End.

The Royals pressed to restore parity and Norwood should have made it 1-1 when he fired over from close range after Blackman had seen a shot saved.

Garner came close to doubling his tally for the afternoon when he headed just wide from Paul Gallagher's cross on 71 minutes.

Preston had goalkeeper Jordan Pickford to thank for keeping them in the lead when he denied Vyrda on 74 minutes.

Middlesbrough's Adam Reach in action against Sheffield Wed on May 4, 2013
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Tables
TeamPWDLFAGDPTS
2Middlesbrough452610962303288
3Brighton & Hove AlbionBrighton452416571413088
4Hull City4523111164343080
5Derby CountyDerby452115966422478
6Sheffield WednesdaySheff Weds451917965432274
7Cardiff CityCardiff451716125550567
8Ipswich TownIpswich451715135251166
9Birmingham CityBirmingham451614155248462
10Brentford45188196766162
11Preston North EndPreston451516144444061
12Leeds UnitedLeeds451416154957-858
13Queens Park RangersQPR451318145354-157
14Wolverhampton WanderersWolves451316165157-655
15Blackburn RoversBlackburn451216174345-252
16Reading451313195156-552
17Nottingham ForestNott'm Forest451216174146-552
18Bristol City451313195470-1652
19Huddersfield TownHuddersfield451312205865-751
20Rotherham UnitedRotherham451310225266-1449
21Fulham451115196579-1448
RCharlton AthleticCharlton45913234077-3740
RMK Dons45912243867-2939
RBolton WanderersBolton45515254180-3930