​Reading 2 Bristol City 0

Encouraged by the midweek victory at Crystal Palace, the Robins began brightly and should have taken the lead after just three minutes. A neat build-up involving Lee Johnson and Cole Skuse culminated in Jamal Campbell-Ryce skipping past Bryn Gunnarsson and delivering a telling cross from the left flank which wrong-footed the home defence. Liam Fontaine took a swing at the ball and failed to connect, leaving Paul Hartley to shoot narrowly wide from 15 yards out when the least he should have done was make Royals keeper Adam Federici work.

Victorious in their last four Championship outings at the Madjeski Stadium, Reading were soon into their stride and Johnson was shown the first yellow card of the afternoon after felling Brian Howard from behind as he bore down on City’s penalty area. Gylfi Sigurdsson was narrowly off target with the resultant free kick, but did rather better when opportunity came knocking again moments later.

Restored to the starting line-up after injury, Jobi McAnuff swung a centre into the 18 yard box and Sigurdsson rose unchallenged to head past Dean Gerken from close range.

City’s inability to retain possession was placing the back four under undue pressure and Howard threatened a second Reading goal when curling a shot just wide of the right-hand post from 20 yards out.

Just as they were against Doncaster seven days earlier, City’s defenders were slow to close down and Shane Long was allowed a free header from another McAnuff centre, only to send his effort behind for a goal kick.

City were once again architects of their own downfall when Reading doubled their lead on 21 minutes. Positioned just inside his own 18 yard box, Hartley needlessly pushed Sigurdsson in the back to concede a penalty.

The Icelandic international got to his feet, dusted himself down and beat Gerken comfortably with a spot kick which found the left corner.

City’s defence was eventually permitted some much-needed breathing space, Gunnarsson cynically obstructing Campbell-Ryce to find his way into referee Paul Taylor’s notebook. Reading were caught napping by Johnson’s free kick and Fontaine reeled off a shot which forced Federici, an erstwhile spectator, into a smart save.

In full flow, the Royals were threatening to end the game as a meaningful contest before half time. Jimmy Kebe went down under pressure from Louis Carey and claimed a penalty, only to receive the brush off from referee Taylor, while Sigurdsson was denied a hat-trick by Hartley, who atoned for his earlier gaffe by heading the forward’s shot off the line. Sigurdsson was then frustrated by Gerken, who demonstrated bravery under fire to save at his feet.

There was still time for the home side to engineer another clear-cut chance, Matt Mills meeting Sigurdsson's free kick with a bullet header which flashed inches over Gerken's cross bar.