On this day in 2010, Reading cruised past Barnsley to enter the play-off picture.

Brian McDermott had endured a mixed start to his first full campaign in charge, winning twice in the opening seven fixtures.

The Tykes came to town in mid-table, looking to build on an 18th placed finish the season before.

Simon Church went close on more than one ocassion in the first half, testing Luke Steele in the Barnsley net.

However, the game threatened to turn when on-loan centre-back Zurab Khizanishvili saw a second yellow card and was sent off.

Attackers Adam Hammill and Diego Arismendi almost nipped the visitors ahead, but talismanic winger Jimmy Kebe thundered home a header from a Jobi McAnuff cross with 15 minutes remaining.

With their tails up, the hosts dominated the final exchanges and were rewarded for their efforts.

New left-back Ian Harte curled home a delightful free-kick and Hal Robson-Kanu tucked home a swift counter to put the icing on the cake and send the 14,000+ crowd into raptures..

The win fired Reading up to seventh, just a point outside the play-off places.

The Royals would go all the way to Wembley that season, cruelly losing 4-2 to Swansea City in the play-off final.

Barnsley would improve on the season before, moving up a place to 17th.