Match Report Fulham (1) 1-0 (0) Reading Championship Match Day 42 1718 at Craven Cottage Tuesday, April 10th 2018,    KO: 19:45 Referee: Lee Mason (Lancashire)

Fulham midfielder Stefan Johansen

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Fulham moved into the Sky Bet Championship top two after a nervy 1-0 victory over Reading saw them leapfrog Cardiff, who failed to win at Aston Villa.

Stefan Johansen's first-half strike was enough to help the club extend their club-record unbeaten run to 20 games.

Fulham were expected to provide the early running but it was struggling Reading who made the brighter start as Tim Ream cleared off the line to deny Jon Dadi Bodvarsson, while Dave Edwards saw an effort blocked.

The hosts had made a sluggish start but from their first chance of the game after 25 minutes they took the lead.

Johansen had the simple task of tapping home from four yards out for his eighth goal of the season following Matt Targett's low cross from the left.

That settled Fulham who came close to a second when Aleksandar Mitrovic headed straight at Vito Mannone from Targett's corner.

Match Stats	Fulham	Reading
Goals	(1) 1	0 (0)
Scorers	Johansen 25
,
Goal attempts	14	3
On target	5	0
Shooting Accuracy	36%	0%
Possession	65%	35%
Passes	660	359
Passes Success	87%	74%
Crosses	19	7
Crosses Success	26%	14%
Corners	6	2
Tackles	17	16
Tackles Success	71%	61%
Saves	0	4
Fouls	11	14
Offsides	6	4
Yellows	1	1
Reds	0	1
source: SkySports

Mitrovic was unfortunate again as his diving header from Johansen's free-kick went just wide of the post.

The on-loan Newcastle striker was seeing plenty of the ball and blazed over on the half-volley after some fine play by Ryan Sessegnon had set up the chance.

Mitrovic then headed over off-balance from Targett's cross from the left in the final action of the first half.

Fulham started the second half in similarly quiet fashion to the first 45 minutes as Reading did their best to frustrate the hosts.

Mitrovic hit the post from 20 yards but the referee blew for offside and it would not have counted.

The visitors were struggling to create chances of their own with no-one able to reach Liam Kelly's free-kick.

At the other end, Johansen lost his footing in front of goal after Mitrovic had flicked on Tom Cairney's pass.

Johansen went close again when his left-footed drive from Targett's cross was saved by Mannone with a flag for offside preventing Mitrovic from converting the rebound.

The tension was increasing around Craven Cottage as a chested back pass by Ream nearly let in Modou Barrow for the visitors.

Lucas Piazon's 30-yard free-kick for Fulham was then saved by Mannone at the second attempt as the hosts strived for a second goal.

The chances continued to come for the Cottagers with sub Neeskens Kebano unfortunate not to score after a mazy run inside the area.

Leando Bacuna was then sent off for the visitors in injury time for a lunge on Sessegnon.

Fulham: Bettinelli, Fredericks, Odoi, Ream, Targett, Cairney, McDonald, Johansen (Norwood 89), Piazon (Kebano 80), Mitrovic, R Sessegnon

Unused substitutes: Button, Christie, Kalas, Fonte, Kamara

Goals:
Johansen 25 (right footed shot from the centre of the box to the bottom left corner. Assisted by Matt Targett with a cross.)

Booked: Targett (60,f)

Reading: Gunter, Moore, Tiago Ilori, Richards (C Martin 75), L Kelly, Bacuna, Aluko, Edwards (Swift 58), Barrow, Bödvarsson (Kermorgant 69)

Unused substitutes: Jaakkola, Holmes, van den Berg, Clement

Booked: Richards (33,f)

Sent Off: Bacuna (90+3,serious foul)

Referee: Lee Mason (Lancashire)

Attendance: 19,272