Ten-man Reading earned a valuable point in their battle against relegation with a 0-0 draw against UEFA-Cup chasing Blackburn.

Down to 10 men, the Royals then created the two best chances of afternoon and could have left the Madejski Stadium with the victory which would have virtually assured their top-flight survival.

Reading midfielder Marek Matejovsky was dismissed for two yellow cards by referee Mark Clattenburg with twenty minutes remaining. The second booking was controversial for an innocuous challenge on Jason Roberts.

Stephen Hunt and Andre Bikey were the culprits in missing two glorious opportunities to clinch all three points for Reading who now remain six points clear of the relegation places.

The game itself lacked quality, Coppell admitted. "In the first half the football matched the weather.

"Sometimes massive amounts of effort go into a performance, which doesn't produce edge of the seat football.

"It looked like two heavyweights, or middleweights perhaps, who were feeling each other out. Just checking what each other had.

"In the second half, it got a little bit more fiery - not the doing of the players to some extent. "But I've said all along, that I think we're capable of getting to 40 points, and if we get to 40 points we don't have to worry about anyone else.

"We've got sufficient games to reach that target and I see no reason to change that target.

"I've relied on other teams results before and it's not a good way of extending a career in football."