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READING (England) - ROBBIE Keane's 99th goal for Tottenham gave his side a 1-0 win at Reading on Tuesday that set up a fourth round trip to Manchester United.
Keane gave Juande Ramos's side an early lead at the Madejski Stadium and that was enough to clinch a hard-fought third round replay victory.
A daunting tie against Premier League leaders United will test Keane and company to the limit, but they will feel more confident after a first win in five matches.
Dimitar Berbatov was ruled out with flu as Ramos made five changes, including a debut for left-back Chris Gunter, recently signed from Championship outfit Cardiff. England 'keeper Paul Robinson - who has fallen from grace of late - was missing from the squad after his wife gave birth on the eve of the game.
There were six changes to the Reading side beaten at Aston Villa.
With 14 goals in their last two meetings, including their 2-2 draw in this competition, it was no surprise that chances came thick and fast straight from the start.
Jermain Defoe had a rare chance to start and, with England coach Fabio Capello watching from the stands, he would have been desperate to make an impact.
Capello wouldn't have been too impressed with Defoe's finishing early on though as the striker headed over from Younes Kaboul's flick.
Leroy Lita had Reading's first sight of goal after a quarter of an hour but the striker's shot looped wide.
Ramos's side took the lead in the the 15th minute. Jermaine Jenas's corner reached Kaboul and, although his effort was tipped onto the bar by Adam Federici, Keane was perfectly placed to tap in.
Pascal Chimbonda's cross nearly caught out Federici but the Australian goalkeeper quickly tracked back to avert the danger.
Tottenham goalkeeper Radek Cerny gifted Reading a chance when his weak punch fell to Lita. But the England Under-21 international, who has made no secret of his desire to join a bigger club, would hardly have impressed prospective buyers as he shot tamely over. He also glanced a header wide from Shane Long's cross before the break.
Defoe was close to making Lita pay for those misses on the stroke of half-time. He met Kevin-Prince Boateng's cross with a first-time volley but Federici saved at his near post.
Reading left-back Nicky Shorey shot wide after 56 minutes from Shane Long's pass, while Defoe's woes continued as he chipped off target before being replaced by Aaron Lennon.
When Ivar Ingimarsson scuffed his shot wide from the edge of the area, Reading looked out of ideas.
But they had one final chance when Ingimarsson set up Stephen Hunt in the 83rd minute. The Ireland winger unleashed a fierce shot that beat Cerny but cannoned back off the crossbar as Reading crashed out. -- AFP
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