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Burton Albion will be looking to move off the bottom of the Championship table when they host Reading tonight (7.45pm).

Albion could cut the gap between themselves and the 18th-placed Royals to two points with a victory, as Jaap Stam's struggling side head to the Pirelli Stadium without a win to their name since December 2.

Reading boss Jaap Stam looks on during his side's 2-1 defeat to the Brewers
Reading boss Jaap Stam looks on during his side's 2-1 defeat to the Brewers

The Brewers could record their first 'double' of the season with a win over Reading, with last month's 2-1 victory at the Madejski Stadium still very much fresh in the memory.

They are still looking to end a four-and-a-half-month wait for victory on home soil, though.

Darren Bent could make his Burton Albion debut after joining on loan on Friday.

Darren Bent has joined Burton Albion on loan for the rest of the season

Kyle McFadzean and Ben Turner are doubtful because of illness and injury, but Nigel Clough is hopeful the defensive pair will be fit to make the matchday squad.

Ben Turner applauds the 727 travelling Albion supporters at St Andrew's
Ben Turner applauds the 727 travelling Albion supporters at St Andrew's

Follow Albion's quest to end their miserable Pirelli Stadium run here - and you can get in touch by commenting below or tweeting us @BurtonAlbionBM, @JoshuaMurray or @RichardCusackBM.

Key Events

Jaap Stam has spoken to media

Everybody knew what we needed to do over here, which wasn’t easy of course. Playing over here is never easy, playing against a team that needs the points as well. In the way of they play as well, very physical and very direct, so you need to match them in that and hopefully you can get into your stride and play at times and score goals. I think we did well. Throughout the team, everybody worked very hard for it. At times, we played well and you create a couple of opportunities and score a couple of very good goals - so everybody’s very happy with that.

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The report is in...

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Stay tuned for reaction

We’ve been speaking to Nigel Clough and Jaap Stam about tonight’s game...

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It's all over!

The Brewers’ winless run at home continues - they’ve been downed 3-1 by Reading.

Darren Bent’s firepower wasn’t enough to overcome the Royals, and Albion stay rooted to the bottom of the table.

Stay tuned for our on-the-whistle report and reaction from both camps.

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90: Four minutes of time added on

Will we see a remarkable Brewers survival?

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88: Albion win a free-kick

But John Brayford fails to beat the first man...

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86: McFadzean leaves one on Barrow

And he gets a yellow for stopping a Reading counter...

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84: Akpan shoots!

He curls one wide - some rare attacking adventure from a Brewer...

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84: There's a lack of urgency about the Brewers

They aren’t pressing with same intensity we saw at the Madejski Stadium last month...

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81: Predictably, it's all gone a bit flat...

From a Burton end, certainly - Reading are pushing for a fourth...

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80 Reading change

George Evans replaces Joey Van Den Berg.

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79: Gunter gets Flanagan in a headlock

But it’s only a goal-kick...

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77: Second Brewers change

Martin Samuelsen comes off for Marvin Sordell.

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75: Burton work it out wide

Brayford’s cross comes in but the ball deflects off Akpan and out for a goal-kick...

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73: Luke Murphy hooks it long

It lands straight at Mannone, and boos ring out from the Pirelli Stadium.

They’re making their feelings known...

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71: Reading deal with it

Another chance wasted...

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71: Ilori goes into the book

Now Albion have a chance from a free-kick...

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69: Murphy breaks forward

He gets a shot off, but it’s dealt with easily.

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68: GOAL!

Reading are 3-1 up and it’s a carbon copy of the first goal.

Mo Barrow squares and it’s another tap-in for Bodvarsson.

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66: McFadzean shoots!

It’s narrowly wide - not a bad effort...

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65: Akins and Samuelsen will play up front

Akpan slots into centre-midfield.

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64: First Burton substitution

Hope Akpan replaces Darren Bent.

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64: Bacuna fires the free-kick over

It’s been all-Reading since the goal went in...

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63: Edwards brought down on the edge of the area

That looked close...

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60: Chance!

Modou Barrow spurns a great opportunity from inside the box! The ball fell kindly to him and a combination of Brewers defenders do enough to divert it wide.

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59: BIG PENALTY APPEAL!

Bordvarsson is bundled over, and the Reading staff are furious...

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58: GOAL!

Chris Gunter fires home from the edge of the box as Reading swing a corner in.

Reading go 2-1 up.

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57: First Royals substitute

Sone Aluko is replaced by Tommy Elphick.

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56: Reading have discovered an attacking verve

They played a quick ball forward but haven’t been able to convert their opportunity into a legitimate attack...

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52: Dave Edwards was the offender

He bundled Martin Samuelsen over as Kyle McFadzean swung a cross in, and that goal has breathed new life into Albion.

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