Reading climb off foot of League One table with thumping win over Carlisle

Reading moved off the bottom of the League One table with a thumping 5-1 home victory over fellow strugglers Carlisle.

Carlisle skipper Sam Lavelle sparked a spell of four goals in 13 first-half minutes when turning a cross into his own net under little pressure.

Luke Plange levelled quickly for the visitors but Harvey Knibbs struck twice to make it 3-1 to the hosts at the interval.

Lewis Wing and Femi Azeez completed the Reading rout with fine finishes in the final 12 minutes.

After a scrappy opening, the game burst into life in the 26th minute when Lavelle diverted a low cross from Jeriel Dorsett into his own net.

The visitors were back on terms just three minutes later when Plange tucked home a close-range volley, before Knibbs pounced in the 32nd and 39th minutes to give Reading a healthy half-time advantage.

Knibbs’ first came after an Azeez cross and scramble in the Carlisle area, his second following a neat turn and shot past keeper Tomas Holy.

Carlisle offered more enterprise going forward after the break but Wing thundered in a superb first-time effort in the 78th minute and Azeez proved similarly clinical five minutes later.