Steve Clarke's Reading side were forced to settle for a point after dominating much of the game but being shut out by a resilient Blackburn Rovers this afternoon.

Alex Pearce rattled the frame of Rovers' goal with a header from an early corner, before Simon Eastwood was forced into a smart save from Hal Robson-Kanu's drive.

Pavel Pogrebnyak and Jamie Mackie both sent headers close, before Nathaniel Chalobah fired over the top from long range.

Reading should have been ahead shortly before the break when Pogrebnyak picked out Jem Karacan with a smart pass, but the midfielder saw his rasping effort deflected clear.

The home side started the second half brightly, and could have taken the lead had Mackie's surging run and cross managed to find an outstretched Reading boot in the box.

However, Adam Federici had to be alert to back pedal and turn a dangerous cross that threatened to creep under the bar over the top of goal.

Clarke's side dominated much of the second period, as they had the first, but failed to create much in the way of chances.

Still, they could have wrapped up all three points had substitute Kwesi Appiah managed to divert Eastwood's rushed clearance into the back of the net in the dying minutes.