Team news

Karacan and Kebe should be okay Reading hope to include Jem Karacan and Jimmy Kebe in their matchday squad to face Leeds in the npower Championship on Good Friday.

Karacan broke his nose in the 4-2 victory at West Ham last time out, while Kebe suffered from the onset of cramp, and neither lasted the full 90 minutes at Upton Park but both players could feature against the Whites.

Midfielder Jay Tabb is a doubt, however, after damaging a rib in a tackle with Julien Faubert in the win over the Hammers.

Joseph Mills is working his way back to full fitness following a quad problem and will not play a part, while right-back Matthew Connolly continues to miss out with his ankle injury.

Adam Le Fondre missed the trip to London last weekend because of a knee complaint, but the striker could be handed a recall, while reserve goalkeeper Mikkel Andersen remains sidelined with a knee injury of his own.

Leeds manager Neil Warnock will be forced into a defensive reshuffle due to injury, suspension and illness.

Defenders Darren O'Dea and Paul Connolly, plus midfielder Adam Clayton are suspended, while winger Aidy White could be ruled out for the rest of the season due to an ankle injury.

O'Dea will serve the second game of a two-match ban for reaching 10 yellow cards for the season, Connolly misses one game after his dismissal in last week's defeat to Watford and Clayton faces a two-match ban following his 10th booking of the campaign in the same match.

White is unlikely to feature again this season after sustaining an ankle injury against Watford and with two unnamed players suffering from a virus this week, Warnock will be struggling to name a 16-man squad.

Versatile youngster Zac Thompson may be included in the starting line-up, while defenders Leigh Bromby and Andy O'Brien could return to contention.

Reading vs Leeds

Last modified 16:17 06/04/12

Alfie brace sends Royals top Substitute Adam Le Fondre's late double sent Reading top of the npower Championship following a gritty 2-0 win over 10-man Leeds.

The striker came off the bench to net twice in the final six minutes of a pulsating and at times ill-tempered clash at the Madejski Stadium as the visitors paid the price for the early sending-off of defender Zac Thompson.

Playing his first match since January 31, the youngster was sent off by referee Darren Drysdale after just 12 minutes, leaving Leeds to absorb wave after wave of Reading attacks.

Ian Harte's teasing cross evaded everyone before striking a post after 20 minutes while, after the break, Alex Pearce saw his header cleared en route to goal.

Leeds had their chances to win it late on, with Ross McCormack and Robert Snodgrass going close without success.

Le Fondre thought he had put his side ahead with eight minutes remaining, only to be denied by an offside flag, but he made the most of his next two sights of goal to fire the Royals to the division's summit.

An already feisty atmosphere in front of a near full house intensified early on with the dismissal of Thompson for a wild lunge on Jobi McAnuff.

Immediately Reading seized the initiative and the visitors were fortunate to survive a scare in the 20th minute when Harte's vicious cross thumped against keeper Andy Lonergan's left-hand post.

Leeds could easily have been reduced to nine men two minutes later when Danny Pugh's terrible challenge on Jem Karacan went unpunished.

Despite their one-man advantage, the hosts failed to create a chance of any major significance for the remainder of the opening period.

And Leeds accelerated out of the traps in the second, with Robert Snodgrass drawing a good save from Adam Federici.

But Reading responded well and Pearce nodded Harte's set-piece onto the roof of the net after 60 minutes.

Leeds were more than happy to soak up the pressure, and their sponge-like approach to defending almost paid dividends when McCormack's 20-yard effort rebounded to safety off an upright.

McCormack then teed up Snodgrass 12 yards out but Federici produced a good save, before the former Cardiff man's thunderous free-kick brought a fumble out of the Australian stopper.

At the other end, Pearce's goalbound header was cleared off the line while Le Fondre followed up McAnuff's deflected effort to slide home - only for his celebrations to be cut short by an offside flag.

But with seven minutes remaining, Reading finally found a way through.

Jimmy Kebe's deep cross to the back post was met by Hal Robson-Kanu who sent a delicate header back across goal for Le Fondre to chest home.