Lean mean goal-machine Shane Long scored his second goal in as many Championship games to claw Reading to one-point from safety.

The Republic of Ireland striker’s third of the season in the 40th-minute sent Brian McDermott’s 22nd-placed side on their way to a 2-1 win over Doncaster Rovers to earn back-to-back league wins for the first time in this campaign.

Brian Howard’s 76th-minute strike past Neil Sullivan doubled the away side’s lead, before a tense finish that saw Donny old-boy and centre-back Matt Mills sent-off for a harsh handball in the box, allowing hot-shot striker Billy Sharp to hammer home from 12-yards.

But McDermott’s side hung on for the vital three-points and his first away win in the league.

“My nerves are fine,” said the former chief scout after the game.

“It was a long extra-time or whatever they call it, but I thought we were comfortable at 2-0.

“Obviously when they scored the penalty and we got the sending-off it affected the game mas-sively, but it think it was a decent game for the fans. To come here and get the win was fabulous.”

In-form Mills may now miss Tuesday night’s six-pointer against 23rd-placed Plymouth Argyle if his manager decides not to appeal his sending-off.

McDermott explained: “I haven’t seen it yet, but it looked like it hit his thigh and then his hand and you can’t call that handball, but we have to deal with it.”

On-loan Blackburn Rovers centre-back Zurab Khizanishvili came on to replace second-half sub-stitute Simon Church and the Georgia captain looks set for his full home debut against the Pil-grims.

McDermott praised his new signing saying: “I thought when Khizanishvili came on he was really assured.

“He’s a really good signing for us and is a good character around the place with the younger guys, you cant get enough of people like that.”

Adam Federici was forced into a series of world-class saves in the dying minutes as Sean O’Driscoll’s side threw everything at the visitors.

But the 10-men hung on and even Long played his part in defence as Sharp, James Hayter who rattled Federici’s bar and Mark Wilson all went close.

And McDermott added: “I thought Longy lead the line in a proper centre-forwards performance today, we’re trying to get him in those danger areas.

“He still needs to be more selfish and get more shots off, but he’s got pace and power and was a real threat, I was delighted for him.”

Doncaster (4-3-2-1): Sullivan, Chambers, Roberts, Martis (Hird, 69), O'Connor, Stock (c), Oster, Wilson (Hayter 73) Coppinger, Shiels (Guy 73) Sharp Subs: Smith, Mutch, Dumbuya, Heffernan.

Reading (4-2-3-1): Federici, Griffin, Bertrand, Ingimarsson (c), Mills, Gunnarsson, Karacan, Kebe (Church 60 (Khizanishvili 82) ,McAnuff, Howard (Thorvaldsson 90), Long Subs: Hamer, Pearce, Davies, Rasiak, Thorvaldsson

Sent off: Mills (82)

Attendance: 8,827 (337 away fans)

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