Good afternoon, folks. Super Sunday it may not be but, on a relatively quiet day of sport, the visit of Spurs to the Madejski Stadium will do nicely. The newly-promoted Royals have amassed just one point so far and lie second from bottom in the table at this early stage of the season.

Today’s opponents Tottenham, meanwhile, are only three places ahead of Brian McDermott’s side having played one game more. Andre Villas-Boas has endured a difficult opening couple of months in charge of the club since arriving as Harry Redknapp’s replacement in July but, buoyed by several new arrivals, the Portuguese boss will be hopefully of claiming a first league win this afternoon.

If that doesn’t happen, expect the boo-boys to be calling for his head again.

We’re 40 minutes away from kick-off.

Read a preview of this afternoon’s game here

Reading: McCarthy, Gunter, Gorkss, Pearce, Harte, McCleary, Karacan, Leigertwood, McAnuff, Guthrie, Pogrebynak. Subs: S Taylor, Shorey, Mariappa, Cummings, Robson-Kanu, Le Fondre, Hunt.

Spurs: Friedel, Walker, Gallas, Vertonghen, Naughton, Sandro, Dembele, Lennon, Sigurdsson, Bale, Defoe. Subs: Lloris, Caulker, Dawson, Huddlestone, Townsend, Adebayor, Dempsey.

After his goalscoring cameo debut against Norwich, recent signing Moussa Dembele makes his first Spurs start since arriving from Fulham while fellow new boys Hugo Lloris and Clint Dempsey must settle for places on the bench.

For Reading, Pavel Pogrebynak starts up top but Alex McCarthy makes his Premier League debut in place of the injured goalkeeper Adam Federici.

From an Irish point of view, Alex Pearce, who scored in his first game for Ireland last week, begins at the heart of the Reading defence, as does Ian Harte. Noel Hunt is among their substitutes.

I can see why a Wayne Rooney should get a big bonus because of the amount of shirts he sells but if you’re talking about £200,000 a week, that’s ridiculous. Who needs that amount of money?” asked the midfielder.

Surely someone will say ‘that’s enough.’ We’re on the verge of getting out of control and we’re starting to lose a bit of reality.

Those are the thoughts of Reading captain Jobi McAnuff. Read the full story here.

You’ll Never Walk Alone is belted out around the ground to remember the Hillsborough disaster.

Massive game for AVB then. The players are emerging from the tunnel so we’re about to get underway.

Spurs sporting a new grey and black kit. Reading in their usual blue and white strip.

It’s all Spurs in the opening seconds. The ball comes through midfield with Sandro and Dembele getting early touches before they win an early corner. When the ball is cleared out as far as Kyle Walker, his strike is high and wild.

The visitors are awarded a free-kick some 30 yards out and Sigurdsson whips it in excellently. A glancing header has to be beaten away from McCarthy and when Jan Vertonghen tries his luck from the rebound, the Royals keeper again blocks well.

Chance for Reading to create their first decent chance from a set-piece. Danny Guthrie sends it to the back post where Alex Pearce and Kyle Walker contest the header. Neither win it successfully but the Reading defender is livid when the ball comes off his marker’s hand. Could have been a penalty, but referee Howard Webb is having none of it.

GOAL! Reading 0-1 Tottenham (Jermain Defoe)

Well-worked goal for the away team and it’s no less than they deserve here. When Sigurdsson picks the ball up in a deep position, the young Icelandic international finds Aaron Lennon with a terrific through-ball. The winger cuts the ball back for Defoe and makes the finish look easy.

Defoe very nearly doubled his personal tally for the day with what would’ve been a spectacular goal. He picks the ball out of the sky and goes by two defenders with his first touch but tries to beat McCarthy with outside of his right boot and shoots wide.

Surely that’s not allowed?! Garath McCleary is guilty of some shorts-pulling on Kyle Naughton…

Credit: Andrew Matthews/PA Wire/Press Association Images

Stand-in keeper Alex McCarthy’s blushes have been saved by Alex Pearce. The 22-year-old is robbed by Defoe and when he squares to Sigurdsson, a goal-line clearance is needed to prevent Spurs a second.

Sloppy play from Ian Harte hands Lennon possess and the speed merchant leaves the former Ireland international in his tracks but overruns the ball out of play. There’s no contest in a race between those two.

Reading record their first shot and it’s from skipper Jobi McAnuff. It doesn’t threaten Friedel however.

Here’s that Defoe goal:
http://www.dailymotion.com/video/xtn991_gol-de-defoe-vs-reading_sport?start=4

Half-time: Reading 0-1 Tottenham

Reading tip off to signal the start of the second half and they immediately drive forward in numbers in search of an equaliser.

Brian McDermott has brought on Adam Le Fondre in place of Jem Karacan as they move to a 4-4-2.

Yet more joy for Spurs down the right flank through both Walker and Lennon. With Reading pushing men forward, expect them to target that wing even more often on the break this half.

Another golden opportunity goes begging. Dembele strides forward unopposed and drives the ball towards goal. Defoe attempts to redirect the effort past McCarthy but can only send it narrowly wide. You sense a second is coming.

Gareth Bale, who has been fairly quiet today, is next to try his luck. The Welsh winger blasts wide of the post from outside the box, however.

The home fans are in full voice as Reading win themselves a corner. After a scramble eight yards out, Spurs manage to clear. They’ve been second best but at 1-0 are still very much in this.

AVB is giving Tom Huddleston some final instructions before introducing the midfielder. That has to be one of the worst excuses for a hairstyle in football right now…

GOAL! Reading 0-2 Tottenham (Gareth Bale)

Not the prettiest goal you’ll see today but they all count. Kyle Walker does all the hard work out wide, then finds Bale in a central position. He shoots first time but despite the ball hitting his standing foot, it beats McCarthy to double Spurs’ lead.

GOAL! Reading 0-3 Tottenham (Jermain Defoe)

That’s the game wrapped up. Defoe collects the ball at the halfway line and dribbles his way to the goalmouth, where he fires home with his left foot.

Need to inform you of a couple of Spurs substitutions. Huddlestone is on for Sigurdsson and Clint Dempsey is introduced for his debut with Gareth Bale making way.

Agree. He said “saccar”…

On for Reading: Hal Robson-Kanu introduced for Guthrie and Noel Hunt comes on in place of Pogrebynak.

Gallas prevents Reading from certain goal when he clears on the line from Le Fondre. Incredibly, it’s their first shot on target.

Andros Townsend, on for Lennon, is AVB’s final substitute.

GOAL! Reading 1-3 Tottenham (Robson-Kanu)

Reading have got their goal but it will only be a consolation. Hunt finds Le Fondre and he chips over the head of Friedel where Robson-Kanu is arriving at the back post to volley into the back of the net.

Full-time: Reading 1-3 Tottenham

Late, late shout for a Reading penalty but Howard Webb blows the final whistle and Spurs get their much-needed win. Their new additions looked sharp but it was an old boy, Jermain Defoe, who ultimately made the difference with his brace.