Reading 1 Leeds 0: Yann Kermorgant wins it for Royals… days after he reveals investment banking plans

YANN KERMORGANT was on the money as he helped keep Leeds in cheque.

The Reading veteran, who revealed this week he will quit at the end of next season to go into investment banking, hit a fine first-half winner.

Kermorgant’s strike lifted his side above Garry Monk’s men into fourth, virtually ensuring the Royals’ prospects of a play-off finish.

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That could lead to a £180million Wembley promotion to the Premier League - an eye-watering dividend that the Frenchman would no doubt appreciate!

The likelihood is both of these clubs will finish in the top six.

Which, given their lack of resources, would constitute serious value for money.

Reading chief Jaap Stam, who ruled himself out of the Netherlands job this week but continues to be linked to West Ham, has worked wonders with freebies like John Swift, who impressed here.

While opposite number Garry Monk has invested more in the youth of his squad, improving whizkids such as Ronaldo Vieira this term.

But Leeds would perhaps be in the red were it not for 27-goal striker Chris Wood.

At least, that was what Kermorgant suggested in the build-up, claiming Monk’s men heavily relied on the New Zealander and lacked a Plan B.

You could count on one hand how many touches Wood had in the first half as he was largely anonymous.

Whereas Kermorgant, after Roy Beerens had blazed over and Kyle Bartley had nodded into the side-netting, took centre-stage.

The 35-year-old, who went up with Bournemouth two years ago, bagged the opener on 21 minutes in style.

Charlie Taylor spotted a quick-thinking thrown-in from Garath McCleary, but managed only to head it into the path of Kermorgant, who smashed the ball into the net from the edge of the area.

It was the forward’s 11th goal of the season - a sizeable return given his modest transfer fee.

Leeds almost hit back soon after but Alfonso Pedraza could not divert Hadi Sacko’s cross past pink-clad man mountain Ali Al Habsi.

Reading had two glorious chances in the space of two minutes to finish it off shortly before the break.

First, Beerens breezed onto Swift’s delightful through-ball but fired over.

Then McCleary raced past the Leeds’ backline but could not beat the onrushing Rob Green.

Kermorgant almost had a second right on half-time but his deliciously controlled effort bounced off the post and away.

The ex-Leicester man should have had an assist when laying in Beerens on 56 minutes, but the Dutchman got his feet all wrong and Green snuffed out the danger.

Green’s counterpart Al Habsi then leapt into action - literally - to claw out a Pablo Hernandez daisy-cutter.

That was before Liam Cooper hooked over from close range, after Bartley had knocked down a corner.

Ex-England stopper Green has had a revival this season in between the sticks for Leeds after being frozen out at QPR and he showed quick reactions to turn over a Kermorgant header at the near post.

And while the score remained 1-0, the anxious glances around the Mad Stad increased in number - notably when Jordan Obita hobbled off injured, and particularly when Al Habsi let a Soulemayne Doukara shot slip through his fingers into the side netting.

Those nerves were not improved either when the ball fell to Vieira at the far post, but the 18-year-old hit a tame effort straight at Al Habsi.

There were a few ugly incidents of away fans throwing objects onto the pitch in the second half - which could lead to FA investigation.

In the end, one goal was enough as Leeds - and key man Wood - were repelled.

The Kiwi brute’s stock dropped for this game - though you would expect it to rise again soon given the Championship player of the year nominee’s amazing consistency.

One thing you can definitely bank on is Kermorgant’s promotion-winning experience proving vital as we approach the business end of the campaign.