Glenn Murray's header on the stroke of half-time has cancelled out Rudy Gestede's opener at Ewood Park in an even first half between Blackburn Rovers and Reading.

The recalled Gestede gave Reading an early fright when he headed Alex Baptiste's cross wide three minutes in, before Murray planted a header of his own against the crossbar two minutes later.

Gestede put his side ahead when he nodded home from Ben Marshall's cross on 17 minutes, and he could have made it two soon after, but fired straight at Adam Federici when well placed inside the Reading box.

Gary Bowyer's side nearly doubled their lead through Jordan Rhodes on the half-hour mark, but the striker's effort from a narrow angle was turned away by Federici.

However, Murray levelled the tie when he converted Jordan Obita's delivery seconds before the interval.