UNITED held off a dramatic Reading comeback at the Madejski Stadium to progress to the FA Cup quarter-finals.

The Reds blasted three goals in the first six minutes - Gabriel Heinze, Louis Saha and Ole Gunnar Solskjaer were all on target - to set up what looked like an easy win.

However, the Royals fought back admirably and almost forced extra time. Dave Kitson pulled one back before half-time and then, with United on the rack, substitute Leroy Lita got another with eight minutes remaining.

The hosts then bombarded their opponents looking for an equaliser. The Reds were wobbling and they would have toppled had Brynjar Gunnarsson not smashed an injury-time shot against the crossbar.

Ultimately, United advanced into the last eight where they will face a trip to Middlesbrough after Gareth Southgate's men beat West Brom on penalties. However, the manner of United's victory is not likely to please manager Sir Alex Ferguson, who spent the last nervous minutes stood in his technical area, having already called on upon Wayne Rooney and Cristiano Ronaldo to help them out of trouble.

Reading boss Steve Coppell had suggested Reading 'could not lose', no matter what happened against United, or in their Premiership tussle with Arsenal at the weekend.

The observation was based partly on what the Royals have already achieved this term and also on a policy of dampening down growing expectation at the Berkshire club.

Astonishing

Coppell must have felt some correction was due during an astonishing first top-flight campaign.

But he could surely never have envisaged such a defensive nightmare against his former club, who have already endured three tough encounters against Reading this term.

After six minutes, the studious home manager must have wondered whether he had sent his team out minus half his players such was the porous nature of their rearguard.

Holes appeared everywhere, while, behind a seemingly non-existent back four, keeper Adam Federici was as poor as he had been brilliant at Old Trafford 10 days ago.

Admittedly, John O'Shea was allowed to reach the byline far too easily as the Red Devils launched their first meaningful attack.

But when the Irishman's cut-back rolled across the box to Heinze 20 yards out the Argentinian's shot, though powerful, should not have troubled Federici. Instead, it slithered under his body and into the net.

It was Heinze's first goal in 18 months and worse was to follow as Saha darted beyond the home defence, collected Rio Ferdinand's long ball on his chest, then found the target with an angled drive which, again, Federici should have stopped.

Solskjaer was similarly on his own when Kieran Richardson launched an angled ball in his direction shortly afterwards. This time, the finish left Federici with little hope of keeping it out.

For five minutes afterwards, United threatened a cricket score. With Saha and Solskjaer darting this way and that, Richardson and Park Ji-Sung finding space on the flanks and Reading no threat in midfield, it hardly seemed possible the hosts would breathe fresh life into the contest.

That they did so was partly due to the industry of Sidwell, but also because of the slackness that began to appear in United's play.

Threatened

Saha was culpable on more than one occasion and Reading had already threatened long before Kitson turned home neatly at the far-post after Kevin Doyle had flicked John Oster's corner into the danger zone.

Had Edwin van der Sar, one of only three players keeping their place from the United side that defeated Fulham on Saturday, not flown across his goal to turn a Seol Ki-Hyeon effort round the post, Reading might have spent half-time harbouring realistic hopes of completing one of the most memorable FA Cup comebacks of all-time.

It hardly seemed possible the veteran Dutchman, so impressive at Craven Cottage, would be United's hero again but that was almost the case as, with his own defence struggling, he intervened time and again to prevent Reading forcing home a second.

Oster was a particular thorn in the Red Devils' side with his teasing left-wing bursts that left Wes Brown dizzy.

In the end, there was enough concern on the United bench about the threat Reading were posing for Wayne Rooney to be introduced for Saha. Given the importance of Saturday's Premiership trip to Liverpool, the substitution was presumably not in Ferguson's masterplan.

Rooney made a difference to the visitors' attack, but not to their defence and when substitute Lita nodded home Ulises de la Cruz's cross eight minutes from time, it really was game on.

Had Gunnarsson been just a bit more accurate, Reading would have taken United to an extra 30 minutes. Instead, the ball bounced out. And with it went brave Reading's FA Cup hopes.

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