What could have been a comfortable night almost turned into a frustrating one, before Rovers got themselves over the line to beat Reading 2-1 at Ewood Park.

Ben Brereton had the hosts ahead inside two minutes, before a host of chances to find a crucial second came and went.

They were then punished for that when a long-range effort from Cesare Casedei levelled things up midway through the second half.

Rovers had just enough to get over the line though, with Ryan Hedges coming off the bench to win it with eight minutes to play and keep Rovers’ hopes for a top six finish on track.

There were still nerves inside Ewood until the final whistle came, even with Reading spending the last few minutes with 10 men after Mamadou Loum’s moment of madness.

But they held on for a victory that no-one could question whether they deserved, even if it was one they made hard work of.

Conditions looked as though they would play a big part from the off, as the wind swirled across Ewood Park alongside persistent rain.

Keeping mistakes to a minimum would be the order of the night, as would dealing with set pieces.

Rovers couldn’t have quite imagined the outcome of a Reading corner just 90 seconds in though, as they broke up the other end to open the scoring.

It wasn’t as slick as the move against Sheffield United, but equally devastating. Sorba Thomas again led the charge before his square pass reached Brereton, who calmly placed the ball into the corner from 20 yards.

Rovers had made two changes before kick-off, with Tyler Morton replacing the injured John Buckley, while Brereton was in for his first start since February 18 as he replaced Tyrhys Dolan.

Given the expectation on Rovers, and also the conditions, it made the early goal even more valuable.

Opportunities on the break came and went, but still a feeling that chances would come if they could work it right in attack.

Yet Reading sounded a warning at the midway point of the half. Rovers failed to clear their lines, giving Cesare Casdei a free shot from the edge of the box, though fortunately for Aynsley Pears it was straight at him.

Pears wasn’t untroubled by a free kick from the midfielder on the half hour mark that ended up 20 rows back in the Blackburn End, but things hadn’t unfolded as Rovers would have wanted since the early goal.

They had to wait until the 33rd minute for their next effort at goal. Good wing play from Thomas saw him deliver a teasing ball from the byline which Gallagher met ahead of his marker, but couldn’t guide on target.

While Rovers had been shot shy, Casadei certainly wasn’t, and a thumping strike from 30 yards, had Pears having to readjust himself at the last minute to palm away given the power it was struck with.

Having started the half strong though, Rovers did likewise at the opposite end.

Gallagher was first to test Lumley, his snap-shot saved above his head by the keeper after Joe Rankin-Costello got into the box.

Goalkeeper Lumley then had a huge let-off as his attempted clearance was blocked by Sam Szmodics, with the ball spinning towards goal, only to clip the post.

Two of Rovers’ back four then combined for their final chance of the half, with Rankin-Costello’s pass collected by Hayden Carter whose shot from a tight angle just didn’t come down in time to nestle in the back of the net.

The home crowd, swelled to over 14,000 with the £10 ticket offer, sensed the importance of a second goal.

They tried to drive their side forward and almost with the desired effect in the 55th minute. Rankin-Costello found Brereton with a clipped cross to the far post, but after chesting the ball down, Amadou Mbengue put in a great last-ditch block.

The hour mark passed with Rovers somehow not finding that second goal.

The first effort came from Thomas, picking up a loose pass before testing Lumley who was equal to it at his near post.

Then Gallagher saw a shot from inside the six-yard box somehow deflected over the bar from a Brereton chest down, before Brereton himself was denied by the sprawling Lumley when he looked certain to score.

The missed chances almost cost them in the 65th minute, with Pears denying Shane Long’s header before Jeff Hendrick curled wide from the edge of the box.

But they would be punished three minutes later as Casadei again took aim from distance, this one a low effort that flew beyond Pears who was beaten for Pears.

Rovers turned to their bench immediately, with both wingers changed, as Ryan Hedges and Tyrhys Dolan replaced Thomas and Brereton.

It was now a test of Rovers’ character, going from needing a second goal, to requiring one.

Reading then made a triple substitution, the speed of which frustrated the home crowd.

It was a Rovers sub who would make the impact however, restoring the lead with eight minutes to play.

Morton did well to keep the ball in play initially before finding Gallagher whose backheel put Hedges clear. He did what those before him were unable to do and that was steer the ball beyond Lumley.

Reading then lost their heads, quite literally, as Mamadou Loum was shown a straight red for a headbutt on Gallagher which left referee Darren Bond with no choice but to dismiss him.

Five minutes were then signalled for Rovers to negotiate but they did so with relative ease.