JAKE LIVERMORE struck a stoppage-time winner to send managerless Reading crashing to a fourth successive defeat on the road.
The Tigers’ captain popped up to settle the contest in the 91st minute, firing home from close range following a build up which saw appeals for both handball and offside waved away by the match officials.
The result at the KC Stadium was incredibly harsh on a Royals side who controlled the contest for large spells in a new-look 5-3-2 formation and duly took the lead on 29 minutes when Nick Blackman ended a wait of more than 800 minutes for a goal.
But a Hull side looking for an immediate return to the Premier League replied just after the hour mark through Abel Hernandez before Livermore completed the comeback.
Another disappointment for Reading was losing Anton Ferdinand to another injury picked up when City levelled the scores, while Chris Gunter was being bandaged up following a kick to the head when the winner went in.
Although now boasting just the one win from their last 10 fixtures, the away side can take plenty of positives from a performance full of attacking quality, determination and spirit.
Interim boss Martin Kuhl made just the one change to the line-up narrowly beaten at Preston North End on Saturday, sacrificing Hal Robson-Kanu for Michael Hector as the Royals went five at the back.
There was also a welcome face on the bench too in the form of Stephen Quinn, who was back in the squad following an injury lay-off.
For long periods of the fixture the stand-in boss was spot on with his tactics, as Hull’s attacking threat was nullified by a stubborn back line boasting the extra man.
This was no more evident than during the first 45 minutes, where the hosts mustered up just one shot on target as the opposition bossed proceedings.
Following a tepid start to the contest it was the away side who chanced their luck.
Slipped in by Matej Vydra, Danny Williams rode a challenge as he surged into the box before his strike at goal was palmed away by Allan McGregor.
Then, just minutes later, the shot-stopper was thwarting Reading once again, this time diverting Blackman’s first-time drive wide of an upright with the feintest of finger tips.
The chance was again engineered by Vydra, who showed neat close control when bringing down Oliver Norwood’s ball over the top, sucking in two defenders before cutting back for this team-mate to let fly.
The on-loan striker then saw Moses Odubaju steal in to take the ball off his toe when well placed as it remained one-way traffic before Norwood screwed an ambitious strike wide from distance.
But when the two linked-up once again, the deadlock was broken – and it was a team goal of great vision and quality.
Danny Williams sent McCleary on his way down the right flank, where the Jamaica international squared for Vydra on the edge of the box.
The latter flicked the ball on to Norwood, who did likewise to play in an unmarked Blackwood, who ended his recent drought when firing across McGregor and into the top corner.
It was just desserts for a Royals side who were in complete control up until this point, and they continued to dictate the flow of the game.
Hull, at times, had worked the ball well around opposition territory, but the end product was either snuffed out by a Reading side who hunted in packs – or was lacking.
But they did eventually force Jonathan Bond into action late in the half when a free-kick pumped into the box dropped kindly for Curtis Davies, but the defender saw his pop shot saved by a leg of the Reading ‘keeper.
Forward pairing Chuba Akpom and Abel Hernandez were both close to meeting centres whipped in from both flanks, but the visitors still looked a solid proposition at the back.
And they remained a threat going forward too, with Blackman unlucky not to double his tally on the stroke of halt-time.
Stepping up to take the free-kick awarded when Hector was upended by David Meyler some 20 yards out, the stiker saw his curling effort clip the top of the crossbar.
Another well worked set piece early in the second half saw Norwood pick out an unmarked McShane who had peeled away towards the far post, but it was still a difficult chance for the former City favouite, who was wide on the stretch.
Yet for all their hard work and endeavor, Reading found themselves pegged back on the hour mark.
Persistence and determination saw Hernandez win the high ball and then slip in Meyler, who ghosted past Hector and drove to the byline, getting the better of Ferdinand too and drilling across a low center was met by Elmohamady, whose first-time effort was bloked by Bond.
But the shot-stopper could only divert the ball in the direction of the striker, who had the simple task of tapping home for an eighth goal of the campaign.
Another blow to Royals saw Ferdinand pick up what looked like a thigh strain when attempting to see out Meyler, and he had to be replaced by Jake Cooper.
But they would have been mightily relieved to see referee Oliver Langford produce just a yellow card when Bond came sprinting off his line to try and swallow up a loose ball – only to do so outside of his box.
Akpom then put an effort narrowly wide having skipped past Hector as Hull began to crank up the pressure, with the same player going close again moments later.
Hesitancy from Cooper saw the defender allow a high ball to drop before losing it as the on-loan Arsenal man stole in, exchanging passes with Hernandez on the edge of the box and making his way towards goal.
But his options were reduced by the out-rushing Bond, who pulled off a smart stop to thwart the player, who was withdrawn soon after much to his disappointment.
He was replaced by Robert Snodgrass, who would go on to play a big role – and a controversial one too – in setting up the winner.
Having brushed past an attempted tackle, Odubajo set off down the right before putting over a cross which the substitute appeared to have handled as he brought it under control.
From here, things got messy from a Reading perspective, with Shaun Maloney nipping in between two players and getting a shot away which, via a diving McShane and Bond, was deflected kindly for captain Livermore to slam home.
The ball also made its way to the matchwinner through a knock-on by Adama Diomande, who looked to be standing in an offside position, but appeals to both the referee and his assistant fell on deaf ears.
The goal was scored too while Gunter was off receiving treatment to a cut to the head suffered when brevely going in to try and close down Odubajo.
Hull City: McGregor, Odubajo, Maguire, Davies, Robertson, Elmohamady, Livermore (c), Meyler, Clucas (Maloney 77), Hernandez (Diomande 83), Akpom (Snodgrass 78).
Subs not used: Huddlestone, Jakupovic, Diame, Hayden
Booked: Livermore
Goals: Hernandez 62, Livermore 90.
Reading: Bond, Gunter, McShane, Ferdinand (Cooper 65), A.Taylor (Fernandez 51), Williams, Hector, Norwood, McCleary (Robson-Kanu 75), Vydra, Blackman.
Subs not used: Piazon, Quinn, Al Habsi, Keown.
Booked: Bond
Goal: Blackman 29
Referee: Oliver Langford
