Reading 0-0 Leeds United: Grayson hails Schmeichel and his side's defiant defensive resistance

Schmeichel kept the home side at bay with a string of second-half saves, while Reading substitute Michail Antonio hit a post after 87 minutes with their best chance.

"Reading have some good attacking options and the changes they made in the second half made it difficult for us," said Grayson.

"My players put their bodies on the line and our keeper made some great saves.

"It was our first clean sheet in 11 games but we didn't have the attacking side that we have had in recent weeks. We didn't really test the keeper."

Only a great stoppage-time save from Schmeichel's opposite number Adam Federici denied Leeds captain Jonny Howson, but Grayson conceded his side struggled to create opportunities.

"I don't know why it was missing in the final third. Some times you lose your spark or maybe it's good defending by the other side," he said.

"Ask any manager if you get everything right in every game you would be in the Premier League. Kasper made some good saves and they missed some chances."

Both sides' defences were on top in a full-blooded encounter of few chances.

Reading went closest to breaking the first-half deadlock when Zurab Khizanishvili headed Jobi McAnuff's corner inches wide of the post five minutes before half-time.

Ian Harte was denied a goal against his former club when Leeds goalkeeper Kasper Schmeichel turned away his goalbound free-kick.

Long headed over the crossbar in the 70th minute before Leeds made two substitutions of their own with 15 minutes left, with Grayson showing his desire to take all three points by sending on strikers Billy Paynter and Ross McCormack in a bid to snaffle a late winner.

Bradley Johnson threatened to do just that in the 85th minute, but headed the wrong side of the post.

Reading boss Brian McDermott felt Leeds should have been reduced to 10 men when Max Gradel tangled with Andy Griffin.

"I thought he was lucky to stay on the pitch. He kicked out at Griffin. I don't know why Griffin was booked as he didn't do anything at all," he said. "That's our fourth successive draw but I thought we should have won them all. We threw the kitchen sink at them but they stood up to it. We put 33 crosses into the box."

Reading: Federici, Griffin, Khizanishvili, Pearce, Harte, McAnuff, Karacan (Tabb 60), Leigertwood (Antonio 77), Church (Kebe 60), Long, Hunt. Unused substitutes: McCarthy, Robson-Kanu, Cummings, Armstrong.

Leeds: Schmeichel, Connolly, O'Brien, Bruce, McCartney, Snodgrass (Sam 88), Kilkenny, Howson, Johnson, Gradel (McCormack 76), Becchio (Paynter 77). Unused substitutes: Higgs, Collins, Faye, Hughes.

Referee: F Graham (Essex).

Man of the Match: Kasper Schmeichel.

You can follow all of the action from the Madejski Stadium right here by following the link below.

Welcome to the Yorkshire Post's exciting match-day service, called Match Centre. Here you will find minute-by-minute updates, stats and team formations. Plus reports from every game in England, from the Premier League down to the Blue Square Premier.

Simply select your game from the pull down menu, then click on the 'i' information button on the right of the fixture and it will give you access to everything you need to know about your team.

So if you can't make it to a game, head for the Match Centre and we will give you the best seat in the house. Click the link below.

For the latest team news, score and commentary from your team check out our new Match Centre

For full reports read Monday's Yorkshire Post.