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Tom Cairney celebrates his 13th goal for Fulham this season

Fulham and Reading could not be separated as their Championship play-off semi-final first leg finished all square in a fiery encounter.

Reading played the last 10 minutes with 10 men after Paul McShane saw red for a dangerous tackle on Kevin McDonald.

After a goalless first half, Reading took the lead when Jordan Obita drilled in off the inside of the post.

Tom Cairney headed Fulham's leveller from close in after Ali Al-Habsi failed to hold on to Scott Malone's drive.

Ryan Fredericks went close to a stoppage-time winner for Fulham but his shot across goal went just wide after a run down the right.

The two sides will meet again in the return leg at the Madejski Stadium on Tuesday.

With the first leg drawn, both sides stretched their impressive unbeaten runs which secured their respective places in the play-offs.

Reading will hope a home record of just two league defeats all season will prove a good omen in Berkshire in the return leg, while Fulham will hope to avenge a 1-0 defeat back in January.

Tempestuous evening by the Thames

Stuart Attwell shows Paul McShane the red card at Craven Cottage

In a tempestuous and rowdy affair in west London, referee Stuart Attwell had a task on his hands to keep a lid on emotions both on and off the pitch.

Reading's goal was perhaps a touch fortunate when an apparent foul by McShane on Stefan Johansen went unpunished and Obita was on hand to finish as the space opened up for the visitors.

As well as McShane's red card, four yellow cards were produced as the sides, who finished sixth and third respectively in the regular season, looked to gain the ascendancy.

Despite the at times overly physical challenges, Attwell showed his composure to ensure McShane's reckless challenge was the only significant punishment for either side.

Jordan Obita strikes home Reading's opener from the edge of the area...

...but 12 minutes later his effort was cancelled out by Tom Cairney's header

Fulham manager Slavisa Jokanovic:

"We cannot be completely satisfied with what happens in the game. But I was expecting a tough game and I believed in ourselves to win the game, but the result is what it is.

"Everything is set up for the return on Tuesday and it's open.

"The red card is very clear and I believe it's very clear. It looked a clear free-kick for their goal as there was a touch with the hand too but it's a physical and very complicated game and sometimes referees can make mistakes.

"But we must be ready, we must be better for what's going to come on Tuesday.

"We showed we weren't scared after their goal, they didn't give us a lot of space but we found more in the second half. We had many chances but we weren't clinical enough. We must be strong and believe in ourselves for the return leg."

Reading manager Jaap Stam:

"We can still win a game without Paul McShane, he's been very important to us throughout the season but we have options and we're very confident that we can still do well.

"I'm not going to say who does or doesn't have the advantage for the second leg. We know what we can do and what we can bring as a side and you've seen that today.

"Home advantage doesn't guarantee you a win, you still have to work very hard and give everything for it.

"These games aren't just about ability and quality, it's about your mind and dealing with the stress and playing with your heart. A lot of things are different in these games than they are in the league."

Paul McShane was sent off for this challenge on Fulham midifelder Kevin McDonald

On Paul McShane's red card: "I've seen it back and he hits the player, he's trying to reach the ball and the player has got a touch in there to just nick it in front of him, which is why he's late to the ball.

"We had to deal with it and we knew it was going to be hard, but we defended well and ended the game level.

"Everything is still open and anything can still happen on Tuesday."