Reading vs Stevenage Prediction: 3/1 tips see more trouble ahead for Royals

After a humiliating cup exit to non-league Carlisle United, Reading begin League One life under Leam Richardson on Thursday night when they host Stevenage at the Select Car Leasing Stadium (20:00 GMT, live on Sky Sports Main Event).

Noel Hunt departed the Royals last week with the club just one place about the drop zone, and they now face a side aiming to go top of the table. My Reading vs Stevenage predictions follow, along with full team news and Betfred’s latest match odds.

Team News

Richardson could make changes after Reading dropped a very late 2-0 lead on Saturday to exit the FA Cup at the first hurdle.

He said afterwards that he was happy with much of what they’d done early in the game despite the eventual collapse, so some of those who started should have hope of being given the nod again.

The new boss could call Derrick Williams back into defensive action after he missed the Carlisle defeat, while one of Kamari Doyle and Ben Elliott is likely to miss out in midfield.

Stevenage were also dumped out of the cup at the weekend, going down 1-0 to League Two Chesterfield at Broadhall Way. So Alex Revell will shuffle his deck having made a number of alterations for Saturday’s loss.

Charlie Goode and Lewis Freestone ought to come back into the team in defence, with Phoenix Patterson set to make way for the return of Beryly Lubala.

Reading vs Stevenage Odds

A win for Stevenage would take them top of the league until Saturday at least, and they are 13/8 to achieve exactly that.

The home side are 15/8 to rip up the form book and record a victory, with 21/10 offered for the draw.

Two of Boro’s three away wins this season have been 3-2 epics, and it’s 33/1 for the same result to occur on Thursday.

Today's Football Fixtures

Handicap -1: Tie @ 3/1

Richardson called the performance against Carlisle “expected” on Saturday, saying that his very arrival was thanks in large part to the kind of inconsistency the Royals showed over the course of 120 minutes.

One thing they have had going for them is a knack of staying in games, and while they haven’t won many they also haven’t been spanked too much.

That has helped them to become the draw specialists of the league, but in Stevenage they face a side who are going great guns.

Having played at least one game less than the rest of the League One contenders, Boro are an artificial fourth.

While they have not battered sides, they have shown their supremacy in winning eight and drawing two of their 12 matches.

So I think they get another narrow win, with six of their eight so far – including all three of their away triumphs – coming by the odd goal. It’s 3/1 for them to do the same in Berkshire at an implied 25% probability.

Football Odds

Stevenage to Score in Both Halves @ 3/1

Boro have consistent threats in the likes of Jamie Reed, Dan Kemp, Jordan Roberts and Harvey White, and Reading are a team who are still looking to find their feet at a time of change.

In three of their 12 games so far, Stevenage have scored in both halves, making the 3/1 available right on the nose with current form.

But against this Royals side, they should get chances at a greater clip than in most of their matches thus far. So I’m backing the visitors to be scorers both sides of the break once more.

Offers

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