Following Noel Hunt’s opening goal on 17 minutes, Middlesbrough’s Rhys Williams tested Federici with a looping header after the break but the Australian shot stopper was at his brilliant best, denying his countryman.

Federici went on to deny Lukas Jutkiewicz twice in the space of two minutes, ensuring Reading recorded their fifth successive victory while keeping his 15th cleansheet of the campaign, a record high in the nPower Championship this season.

Brian McDermott’s men now side third on the table, four points behind West Ham and Southampton in the automatic promotion places.

Mile Jedinak’s Crystal Palace left Upton Park with a share of the spoils following their 0-0 draw against West Ham. Jedinak put in a full shift and Palace are now unbeaten in five games.

Millwall secured their first win in six league games with a 3-1 win at 11th-placed Burnley. Shane Lowry started and finished the game for Millwall and the result sees the side move above Nottingham Forest and Bristol City into 19th position, six points clear of the drop zone.

Neil Kilkenny played a full game for Bristol City but could not prevent the side from a 3-1 loss at home to promotion-chasing Blackpool. City are without a win in six matches.

In the Premier League, Socceroo keeper Mark Schwarzer and Fulham prevailed 1-0 at QPR in their West London derby. The Australian custodian had a relatively quiet game in goal for the Cottagers as they completed the double over Rangers.

Meanwhile at DW Stadium, Chris Herd made a return amongst the Aston Villa substitutes in the club’s 0-0 draw with Wigan. He did not make it off the bench but it’s news that will please Socceroo fans.

In the Scottish Premier League, Aaron Mooy was an unused substitute following his midweek duties with the Olyroos. St Mirren were held to a 1-1 draw by Aberdeen at Greenhill Road. The Saints are unbeaten in their last five games.

Ryan McGowan replaced the injured Ian Black on 40 minutes but was helpless to prevent Hearts from a 2-0 defeat at home to Dundee United. It’s been a tough time for the Edinburgh club of late, only one win in their last seven matches.

In Germany’s Bundesliga, Mitchell Langerak’s Borussia Dortmund secured a 3-1 win against Hannover 96 courtesy of a brace from Robert Lewandowski. Playing in front of 80,720 fans, Dortmund tasted their fifth consecutive victory. They are now undefeated in seventeen games and coincidently, they haven’t lost since their trip to Hannover on September 12, 2011.

Nikita Rukavytsya entered the fray with 38 minutes remaining but it couldn’t prevent Otto Rehhagel’s Hertha Berlin falling into the relegation play-off zone following a 3-0 loss away to fellow strugglers Augsburg. Hertha are winless in 12 games.

While Matthew Leckie did not make it off the bench as Borussia Monchengladbach’s drew 1-1 at home to Hamburg. Monchengladbach are one point behind second placed Bayern and five points behind leaders Dortmund.

In 2.Bundesliga, Robbie Kruse was absent from Fortuna Dusseldorf’s goalless draw with Alemannia Aachen. Fortuna are winless in six league games and have dropped to fifth on the table.

Socceroo Brett Holman set up two goals in AZ Alkmaar’s thrilling 3-3 draw at home to Heerenveen before being replaced after eighty-four minutes. AZ now sits two points behind PSV on the Eredivisie table.

FC Utrecht, without the Aussie trio of Michael Zullo, Tommy Oar and Adam Sarota, were beaten 1-0 at Twente courtesy of a 44th minute goal from Luuk De Jong.

Andrew Marveggio did not feature off the bench in Telstar’s 3-1 loss at home to AGOVV in the Eerste Divisie.

James Holland experienced his first defeat in Austria Vienna colours, his side suffering a shock 1-0 loss at home to cellar-dwellers Kapfenberger SV. The former AZ midfielder was replaced on 63 minutes.

Socceroo midfielder Carl Valeri put in a full shift as Sassuolo played out their second successive draw, a goalless draw at home to Ascoli. A stalemate closes the gap on league leading Torino to one point.

Before flying out for Socceroos duty, James Troisi completed a full 90 minutes in Kayserispor’s 1-0 defeat at Orduspor. The club is winless in their last five games and sit only five points above the danger zone.

Over to England’s League One where Alex Cisak kept a clean sheet in Oldham Athletic’s 1-0 win over Tranmere Rovers. Dean Bouzanis continues to play second fiddle to the in-form Cisak.

In League Two, Shane Cansdell-Sheriff made way at the half-time interval as Shrewsbury Town moved up to third on the table with a 2-1 win over Crawley Town.

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