Reading surrendered a two goal first half advantage to draw 2-2 with Queens Park Rangers at the SCL Stadium.

Jeff Hendrick’s first brace for eight years was cancelled out by Tyler Roberts’ second half pair to share the spoils in Berkshire.

A match devoid of much action early on, Andy Carroll and Hendrick had shots blocked in the box and the visitors had a succession of corners after breaking with speed, but both keepers remained untested. Sam Hutchinson limped off after 14 minutes and Shane Long entered the field, a move which coincidentally lined up with the hosts’ getting going. Shortly before the half hour mark, seemingly in no danger in the midfield, Hendrick let fly from 25 yards and the sweet hit was past Seny Dieng before he had a chance to react to give the Royals a lead.

The R’s, fresh from their FA Cup exit to League One Fleetwood Town, looked shell-shocked, offering very little in the remainder of the half. Their best chance was an Ilias Chair cross, which narrowly evaded Lyndon Dykes in the six-yard box. With the wind in their sails, it took 10 minutes for Paul Ince’s men to double their advantage. Andy Yiadom found the ball inside the box and his effort was only palmed by Dieng, with the former QPR midfielder ready to pounce to complete the first half brace.

Like night and day, the second half was the total opposite of the sluggish, out-of-sorts QPR team seen in the opening period. Knocking on the door from minute one, the Royals offered nothing in the way of forward threat. Roberts, buzzing around all afternoon, was a constant thorn in the defences side. Despite the domination, it took until the hour mark for the West London outfit to pull one back. Debutant Jamal Lowe cut a cross back in the box and Roberts powered his effort home to reward their efforts. Pinning Reading back, Dykes should have made it 2-2 minutes later, but Joe Lumley denied the Scotland international from close range. However, they did not have to wait long for the equaliser when a cross from the right evaded the defenders and was tapped in from close range by Roberts for a brace.

Lucas Joao came close for Reading, volleying wide from Tom Ince’s dinked cross, but in truth the hosts offered nothing in a disappointing second half display.

Back on the road next week, the Royals travel to Stoke City on Saturday to round off league proceedings for January.