Reading Boss Jose Gomes has praised the 'courage' of Norwich City loanee Nelson Oliveira after the striker returned from the serious facial injuries suffered earlier this month to score a fine winner.

The Portugal international had to have surgery to repair serious gashes and a badly broken nose less than two weeks ago, after being trodden on by Aston Villa defender Tyrone Mings, leaving Oliveira covered in blood.

After missing the 0-0 draw at Sheffield Wednesday at the weekend the 27-year-old defied medical advice to return for the Royals on Wednesday night while wearing a protective mask, starting and scoring in the 86th minute to grab a 2-1 home win over Blackburn for the relegation battlers.

'When you feel a player full of motivation that wants to work and train then you must give him a chance,' Gomes told Football.London.

'What he showed in the game with his behaviour was amazing. This gives courage to everybody and when we finished in the changing room after, the feeling was 'we've got these three points for the work we've been doing and for the team spirit'.

'The three points were important for a lot of reasons. Firstly, for the three points and our position in the table. Second, it's the first time this season we've collected points from four games in a row and thirdly the courage Nelson showed.

'In the previous match he wanted to play but the doctor didn't give him permission. He couldn't be on the pitch after the difficult operation when he broke his nose in four different places.

'But he insisted on playing and that shows he really wants to help the team. Everybody saw what his face was like but in the short period of time he was pushing the other guys and giving them strong motivation.

'We have three points in our pocket and it's a result of the work they have been doing. The players deserved the three points.'

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It was a second goal in three games since joining Reading, moving Gomes' team a point clear of the bottom three.

Elsewhere in the Championship, City winger Ben Marshall started his fourth game on the spin for Millwall, playing 82 minutes of a 0-0 home draw with Sheffield Wednesday on Tuesday.

Of the other loaness in midweek action, Matt Jarvis came on in the 56th minute but couldn't prevent Walsall losing 1-0 at home to bottom-of-the-table AFC Wimbledon and striker Tristan Abrahams came on in the 85th minute as Yeovil lost 4-1 at Oldham.

Wembley is becoming a possibility for young defender Timi Odusina, who helped AFC Fylde seal their first ever FA Trophy quarter-final, coming on in the 65th minute of a 4-1 home triumph over Ramsbottom United. The Lancashire side will host fellow National League promotion hopefuls in the quarters later this month.