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Barnsley had won on their two previous visits to the Madejski Stadium in 2011 and 2014

Reading's hopes of automatic promotion suffered a setback as they were held at home by a determined Barnsley side.

Marc Roberts headed just wide for the visitors in a below-par first half, and Tom Bradshaw volleyed inches over shortly after the re-start.

The Royals responded as Yann Kermogant forced a good, low save from Adam Davies and Garath McCleary went close.

But it was Barnsley who came closest to a winner as forward Marley Watkins struck the base of the post.

The draw saw Reading slip to fourth place in the table, with Barnsley - who also played out a goalless draw with Preston seven days earlier - dropping to 10th.

Jaap Stam's side were without loan signing Jordon Mutch, as George Evans and Roy Beerens returned to the starting line-up at the Madejski Stadium.

But they struggled to carve out clear openings until Bradshaw's effort gave them a scare at the start of the second half.

Reading raised their game with Kermogant a handful for Barnsley's centre-backs, but they could not find a way past Davies and Adam Hammill fired over for Barnsley when well-placed as the two sides had to settle for a point each.

Reading manager Jaap Stam: "We had most of the ball and possession, but you should also look at the opposition and see what they're doing.

"Normally, this team (Barnsley) wants to play and wants to go forward playing football.

"But now they come here and they sit, they make it as small and as tight as they can, and just wait for that moment to go out on the break.

"That's the thing, most of the time when we play at home, that we need to deal with."

Barnsley head coach Paul Heckingbottom: "I was pleased with us with the ball and without the ball. The bit that was missing was the end product.

"We got in some really good positions, but apart from hitting the post, we hit the target only once.

"We approach every game to try to get the win. I know what a good side Reading are, but I honestly believed that we would score.

"We knew that we would have to defend crosses and we were comfortable doing that and we did it well. I knew that we would be strong right to the end."