Championship / Hannah Duncan / 11 April 2012 /

Reading have been the outstanding form side in the Championship says Hannah Duncan, with their latest victory moving them level on points with Southampton, three days before the clubs clash in a huge Friday night encounter.

Just a few weeks ago, the Championship title challenge seemed certain to be a two horse race between West Ham and Southampton, but another side altogether could have their noses in front come Grand National weekend.

Yesterday's 1-0 win over play-off chasers Brighton saw Brian McDermott's Reading pull level on points with Southampton at the top of the Championship table, as it looks increasingly like West Ham - currently six points off the top two - will fall at the final fence in their push for automatic promotion.

It's a big turnaround from mid-January, when Sam Allardyce's side beat Nottingham Forest to go three points clear at the top of the table. The Hammers are now outsiders at [36.0] to take the title, with Southampton [1.86] favourites and Reading just behind at [2.22].

But that could all change this weekend as the Royals travel to St Mary's on Friday evening. When the sides last met back in October, they played out a 1-1 stalemate. This time around, The Draw is the outside bet on Betfair at [3.4] , with a 1-1 Correct Score currently at [7.0].

But with three games to go after this weekend, nothing is likely to be cut and dried by the time the final whistle goes on the south coast on Friday night. Reading still have tough fixtures against in-form Nottingham Forest, Crystal Palace and promotion-chasing Birmingham, while Southampton travel to Peterborough, play-off pushers Middlesbrough and host Coventry - themselves in a relegation dog-fight.

Whatever the outcome of Friday's encounter between the league's top two, it looks certain to be a photo finish at the top of the Championship come the end of the season.

With just one defeat and one draw in their last 15 league outings, Reading have got a huge amount of the all-important momentum going into the home straight and have pegged back Southampton, who have recorded five draws and a defeat in the same period. That's despite the formidable form of strike partnership Rickie Lambert and Billy Sharp, with 26 and 15 goals respectively this campaign (though 10 of Sharp's tally came in a Doncaster shirt) and 10 goals apiece from Guly Do Prado and Adam Lallana.

But the Royals are in such a rich vein of form, they've even managed to avoid the kiss of death put upon them by McDermott being awarded the Manager of the Month crown for both February and March. That's without the added jinx of goalkeeper Adam Federici taking the Player of the Month award for February too (Federici underlined his current form with an outstanding performance against Brighton last night, saving a penalty and making several crucial saves).

There's even suspicion that McDermott may be attracting the attention of Premier League clubs, having already allegedly turned down an approach from Wolves following the dismissal of Mick McCarthy.

But having signed a new contract at the end of February, the Reading faithful will be hopeful of keeping the former Arsenal, Cardiff and Exeter player at the Madejski for the foreseeable future and if they can, a prolonged stay in England's top-flight looks certain to be on the horizon.

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