WADE Elliott suffered penalty heartache when Cherries grabbed an against all odds share of the spoils at the Madejski Stadium last night.

Elliott missed a potentially crucial spot-kick in the dying seconds after Cherries had come from behind to take the lead in dramatic fashion.

The 23-year-old midfielder clipped his penalty over the crossbar after Cherries man-of-the-match Warren Feeney had been brought down by John Mackie.

However Elliott's miss failed to take the gloss off an heroic second-half performance from Cherries as goals from James Hayter and Derek Holmes cancelled out Jamie Cureton's first half effort for the Royals.

But although Cherries slipped to third from bottom in the Division Two table as Andy Hughes equalised for Reading Sean O'Driscoll's side secured a potentially priceless point in Berkshire.

Reading came close to taking the lead inside the opening 60 seconds when a corner by John Salako fell to Jamie Cureton who miskicked from close range.

Despite the early let-off, Cherries fell behind in the fifth minute when their perennial bogeyman Cureton bagged his customary goal against them.

But there was an element of good fortune about the goal as Cureton's 25-yard free-kick took a wicked deflection off the Cherries wall which wrong footed Gareth Stewart who looked on helplessly as the ball hit the back of the net.

Cureton caused Cherries no end of problems during the opening exchanges and the former Dean Court loan player saw an 11th minute header superbly pushed around the post by Stewart.

Cureton's effort was sandwiched between a shot from Sammy Igoe being blocked by Jason Tindall and a long range drive from Andy Hughes which went past the post.

Cherries' first shot on target arrived in the 18th minute but Reading goalkeeper Phil Whitehead easily gathered Tindall's low grasscutter from the edge of the box.

Cherries were again indebted to Stewart who acrobatically tipped a thunderous drive from Nicky Shorey away for a corner.

And from the resultant flag-kick, Shorey saw another venomous drive clip the top of Stewart's crossbar.

Cureton scuffed wide of the target after 26 minutes and lifted another effort inches over Stewart's crossbar two minutes later.

Cherries were under the cosh for long periods in the opening half and their cause was hindered as numerous passes went astray as they gifted Reading possession.

On the half hour a break down the left resulted with Warren Feeney heading Gareth O'Connor's cross well wide.

Cherries began to find their feet towards the end of the first half and created two good chances.

Firstly, Neil Young picked out O'Connor with a searching cross-field pass but the Irishman blazed his effort high and wide when well placed.

Then Feeney crossed from the left and Derek Holmes volleyed goal bound only for Whitehead to punch his shot clear.

The visitors should have equalised seconds after half-time when Feeney sprinted down the right flank before rolling the ball into the path of Holmes who was denied by the legs of Whitehead from close range.

And when the rebound came out to James Hayter he ballooned his shot high over the crossbar.

However with Cherries now well on top they deservedly equalised after 48 minutes when Adrian Viveash had to make a hasty clearance straight into the path of Hayter who despatched a stunning right foot drive into the bottom corner of Whitehead's net.

Hayter's eighth goal of the season sent the Cherries fans behind Whitehead's goal into raptures although the goal celebration was somewhat marred when one fan ran onto the pitch.

Stewart again saved well from Salako before Whitehead got down well to smother another effort from Hayter.

Steve Purches made a splendid last ditch saving tackle to deny Igoe and as the contest swung from end to end, Eddie Howe poked a shot wide from a Hayter corner.

Cherries came agonisingly close to taking the lead with 20 minutes remaining when Wade Elliott embarked on an electrifying run before seeing his resultant right foot drive come back off the base of the post.

But Sean O'Driscoll's side were finally rewarded for an inspired second half fightback when they edged in front in the 71st minute.

Hayter's in-swinging corner was met by the head of Holmes who planted his header past Whitehead from close range.

However, the Royals hit back with 10 minutes remaining when Cherries failed to deal with a Salako cross and Hughes headed home the equaliser at the far post.