AT last - a football match and I am pleased to say we won!

Tuesday night's home game against Preston North End felt like my first match in ages and it was also unusual because of the role I was asked to play.

Alan Pardew (the Reading boss) put me in a new role which was just in behind our striker Nicky Forster. To be fair it went quite well and Nicky got a hat-trick, although his first goal was nicked off me because I had my shot saved by David Lucas in the North End goal.

The keeper then got sent off when he brought me down in the box as I was about to get my first Reading goal.

I quite enjoyed my new position as it is normally me picking up the ball in wide areas and giving it to the man in the middle, someone like Robbie Blake. I managed to get involved and, of course, it was a very important win for us.

They had two players sent off, Michael Jackson going before the keeper, and we have seen a few dismissals at Burnley this season. It was always going to be difficult for them especially as they went behind straight after the first red card.

Reading have now got a great chance of making the play-offs and that is one reason why I came down here, to play in the big games. Having only played once in the past three weeks, teams like Ipswich and Norwich have been able to close the gap because they have played a few games while we have been sitting around.

We are on the telly again tomorrow night when we face Nottingham Forest and that might be a taster for a match that will be played at the end of the season.

I don't know if I will be central again but I am happy to play anywhere the manager wants me to.

I am expecting a few of the boys to give me a call over the weekend because Burnley are at the City Ground on Easter Monday and obviously I wish them well - and against Gillingham on Saturday.

It sounds like Burnley were a bit unlucky in the their last couple of games, losing at both Norwich and Portsmouth.

I have spoken to a few of the lads about the Norwich game and it sounds as if they played quite well without really getting the breaks. It also sounds as if Mooro should have had a penalty down at Portsmouth.

Reading have still got to play them and I don't imagine they will be easing up now they have secured promotion, they will be going all out for the title.

TWO people who are having a good time with me down here are the little monkey and his Gran, my mum.

I am at last able to teach him how to speak "proper" because he has got a lot of southern accents around him although I am sure his Burnley accent will come back when I head back up north.

A lot more people can understand what I am saying down here and everyone will be glad to hear I am as quiet as ever on the training ground. I hope that it is not too quiet in Burnley without me, although knowing the lads they have got there it is not likely.