A last minute own goal by Alex Pearce denied Reading a decent 2-0 win in their final pre-season against Premier League Chelsea. Brendan Rodgers, who had a stint as a coach at Chelsea, made his debut as Reading's manager facing his former employers from Stamford Bridge. However, Chelsea laden down with stars and also welcoming a new manager in the shape of the Italian, Carlo Ancelotti, managed to leave Berkshire with a draw after being behind for long spells in the game.

Gloomy conditions greeted the two sides, as they entered the pitch. Overcast with spots of rain, the weather was certainly a traditional British August day. The reminder that the new season was beginning next week most probably influenced the clouds that hung over Berkshire. However, when the half time whistle sounded it was the Premier League side whose mood most reflected the murky sky. Reading had gained a 2-0 lead thanks to goals from Jimmy Kebe and Scott Davies.

Chelsea would have rightly held a look of bewilderment at the break, as the Londoners had totally dominated the first half. John Terry and Nicolas Anelka had both planted headers over the cross bar. Anelka also saw a goal bound shot cleared brilliantly off the line by Reading centre half Alex Pearce. Adam Federici then produced a fine dive to push a Michael Essien shot round the right hand post. Ricardo Carvalho headed the resultant corner narrowly wide.

Chelsea's pressure was not paying off as the first half progressed, and Reading produced a classic sucker punch in the 38th minute. Jimmy Kebe wriggled around the Chelsea defence before slotting the ball into the Chelsea net, past a stranded Petr Cech. The crowd seemed to be shocked by Reading taking the lead. Further disbelief will have followed on the stroke of half time. Reading doubled their lead with a clever free kick. Shane Long's dangerous run to the edge of the Chelsea penalty area caused panic in the Chelsea defence. Long was pulled down and a free kick was awarded on the edge of the D. Hal Robson-Kanu shaped up to strike the ball from the right side of the penalty box, only for Scott Davies to storm in from the left side to rifle a shot into the bottom right hand corner of Cech's net and give Reading a 2-0 half time lead.

After the break both sides looked as though they had slowed down, Reading though were confident and delighted to be in the lead against one of the best sides in the world. Adam Federici epitomised the Reading spirit by pulling off a brilliant save from a header by England midfielder Frank Lampard. Federici came to Reading's rescue minutes from the end of the game grabbing a scrambled shot from Salomon Kalou on the goal line.

Unfortunately Federidi would not end the game with the clean sheet that his performance so richly deserved. Kalou slotted a shot under Federici in the final minute to make the score 2-1 and Chelsea pulled level at the very death when Alex Pearce headed a free kick into the net. The draw was probably about right on the strength of Chelsea's first half performance, but Reading can take heart from their performance. As a team Reading looked fluent and together and with the footballing savvy and common sense intelligence of manager Brendan Rodgers, who knows what the new season will bring for the Royals.