Reading held in-form Leyton Orient to a 1-1 draw at the SCL Stadium in front of the largest crowd of the season.

More 15,000 turned out for a first league meeting between the sides in Berkshire since 1993, including over 2,000 noisy East Enders.

Daniel Agyei scored his fourth goal in four games from the penalty spot after handball was given on Tom Holmes, but Harvey Knibbs converted a well-worked corner routine to earn a point.

In a bright start, it was the hosts who took the game to their visitors and looked to create openings. It took nearly 10 minutes for the first real chance, but Femi Azeez could only fire over the crossbar after winning possession back well on the edge of the Orient box. Lewis Wing found Knibbs five minutes later, but the midfielder could only flick his header over the crossbar.

As has become tradition, the 16th minute was met with a loud rendition of ‘We want Dai Yongge out’ as all four corners of the stadium were on their feet to make their point known. However, as has become a theme immediately after the home fans vented their frustrations at the owner, the visitors opened the scoring. Tom Holmes handled a deep cross and Graham Scott made no mistake in pointing to the spot. Agyei stuttered and started before sending David Button the wrong way and converting. Reading didn’t let falling behind affect them, and they should have levelled within 120 seconds.

Andy Yiadom beat his man out wide before delivering a delicious cross toward the back post. However, the ball somehow evaded Knibbs, Sam Smith and Paul Mukairu in the box. They need not worry, however, as within one minute the scores were level. Charlie Savage’s set-piece routine was flicked on by Smith at the near post and Knibbs was on hand to sweep the equaliser past Sol Brynn.

Both teams had their chances in the remainder of the first period, with Shaqai Forde passing up a big chance to put the visitors ahead again when Holmes, Tyler Bindon and Button got in a mix-up at the back, but the winger could only fire over the bar from close range. Azeez tested Brynn shortly after, his run taking him too close to the keeper before his toe-poke was batted away for a corner.

Reversing roles in the second half, Leyton Orient were totally dominant for the second period and put the Royals under continuous pressure. El Mizouni didn’t trouble Button but had the first sight of goal, firing straight down his throat. Substitue Tom James tried his luck from distance too, this one not forcing the keeper into a save.

Reading’s best effort was on the hour mark when Yiadom eventually got his shot off following a spell of possession around the opposition penalty box, but this failed to push Brynn between the sticks. Orient were unfortunate not to go ahead with 10 minutes remaining with goal scorer Agyei dispossessing Bindon in his own penalty box before driving on goal, a smart Button save preventing the in-form striker from making it count.

Still in the bottom four, the Thames Valley Derby returns at the Kassam Stadium next Saturday.