Reading Stun Plymouth with Dominant 4-1 Boxing Day Victory

Early Red Card Changes Boxing Day Clash

In a dramatic League One encounter on 26 December 2025, Reading FC defeated Plymouth Argyle 4-1 at Home Park in what was expected to be a closely contested Boxing Day fixture. The match turned decisively in Reading’s favour when Plymouth midfielder Joe Ralls was dismissed within 10 minutes for a cynical foul on Derrick Williams to deny the defender a tap-in, leaving the home side to battle with ten men for the remainder of the game.

Reading Capitalise with Three-Goal Blitz

Reading captain Lewis Wing converted from the penalty spot and then doubled the lead to make it 2-0, before former Exeter City loanee Kamari Doyle extended the advantage to 3-0 in the 20th minute. Just eight minutes after the red card, Plymouth found themselves 3-0 down, with the visitors ruthlessly exploiting their numerical advantage. Goals from Lewis Wing (x2), Kamari Doyle and Jack Marriott yielded a Boxing Day win at Home Park.

Plymouth Fight Back Despite Disadvantage

Argyle fought back in the second period when substitute Xavier Amaechi finished off a neat move with 20 minutes to go, before Lorent Tolaj had a penalty saved by Joel Pereira just minutes later. Despite their efforts to mount a comeback, Reading sealed the deal in the last five minutes, with Marriott finishing off an excellent pass from Wing to make it 4-1.

Significance for Both Clubs

The win lifts Reading up to 11th in the table on 28 points from 21 games, providing crucial momentum for manager Leam Richardson’s side. Plymouth manager Tom Cleverley expressed disappointment, stating he was “gutted” they didn’t see an 11 v 11 contest, believing Reading were “in a bit of a false league position”. The result ended Plymouth’s three-match winning streak and highlighted how quickly fortunes can change in the competitive League One environment, where both teams battle to climb away from the relegation zone.