Reading’s fight for Championship survival took another hit with their sixth successive loss away to Bristol City.
Bristol found a breakthrough a minute before the end of the first-half through Antoine Semenyo and doubled their lead just after the restart after a Michael Morrison own goal.
The Royals fought back when John Swift scored from the penalty spot with 15 minutes left to play but the Robins held on to claim three points.
The defeat still leaves Reading one place and two points above the relegation zone after Peterborough United were beaten at Cardiff City.
Cardiff’s win means that the 20th placed side now have a 10 point lead over Reading., while 22nd Peterborough have a game in hand to play.
Veljko Paunovic made some bold choices which saw John Swift, Danny Drinkwater and goalkeeper Luke Southwood dropped to the bench.
In their place were two debutants, Arsenal loanee Karl Hein who started in goal, and winger Tom Ince who joined on loan from Stoke City on loan until the end of the season.
Long-term absentee Tom McIntyre also returned to the matchday squad for the first time this season with a place on the bench.
It was a slow start to proceedings at Ashton Gate between two sides that have conceded bundles of goals throughout the campaign.
Reading were almost made to pay when Josh Laurent lost possession just outside of his own area, but the defence managed to recover to scramble the ball clear for a corner.
The visitors had their first venture forward when Junior Hoilett and Tom Dele-Bashiru combined, with the latter’s shot being deflected behind for a corner.
Michael Morrison won an aerial duel to get to the set-piece first but had his header stopped by Max O’Leary.
Tom Holmes was the first player to enter the referee’s book when he was cautioned after getting too tight to City forward Antoine Semenyo which led to him hauling his opponent down after being turned.
Bristol levelled up the bookings tally when Tomas Kalas was booked for fouling Lucas Joao.
On his first start for the Royals, Hein was called into action for the first time in the 33rd minute when Jay Dasilva fired a shot at goal that was parried away by the Estonian keeper before Andy Yiadom hacked it behind for a corner.
Both sides struggled to create clear cut chances throughout the half.
Reading’s brightest spark in attack came from the pacy Dele-Bashiru who turned in the box to try and find space for an opening but couldn’t get his shot past the body of Kalas.
But with the half looking as if it was going to fade out with either side to make a breakthrough, the Robins snatched a lead a minute before the break.
Paunovic’s side was left short at the back which allowed Andreas Wiemann to race through on goal.
He held off the challenge of Holmes and saw his strike smartly saved by Hein, but the rebound fell kindly for the forward who unselfishly laid the ball across the box to find Semenyo who converted into the empty net.
The second-half started just as disastrous as the first ended for Reading, with another goal for the hosts.
They worked the ball swiftly and neatly on the left to Cameron Pring who fizzed the ball into the six-yard area after his overlapping run and Morrison inadvertently turned the ball into his own net.
Semenyo continued to cause issues for the Royals as he charged into the box unchallenged, but Morrison managed to get his frame in the way of the shot.
Reading looked to respond when Tom Ince drifted out from the wing and cut the ball back for Dele-Bashiru who spooned a shot high over the target.
Paunovic made his first change on the hour as John Swift replaced.
Reading’s top scorer looked to make an immediate impact when he struck from distance in what turned out to be a comfortable stop for O’Leary.
The Berkshire side were fortunate not to have been punished again when Hein’s poor clearance gifted Bristol the ball and Semenyo brought it down into his path and connected sweetly with a volley that smacked the post.
The next switch saw Danny Drinkwater take the place of Andy Rinomhota.
Reading were given a lifeline to get back in the match when Ince was fouled in the area and referee Oliver Langford pointed to the penalty spot.
Swift stepped up to take and emphatically powered the ball past O’Leary to halve the deficit with 15 minutes left to play.
A route back into the match could have been put to bed had Yiadom not made a vital interception to prevent Semenyo having a one-on-one chance at goal.
The Royals found confidence having clawed a goal back and went in search of an equaliser which required some last ditch defending from the home team to keep them out.
Reading threw plenty at Bristol in the final 10 minutes, but they weren’t able to find an all important leveller.
Reading are back in action on Saturday as they host Coventry City in the club’s 150th anniversary match.
Bristol City: O’Leary, Vyner, Kalas, Klose, Dasilva, Massengo, Scott, Pring, Weimann, Semenyo, Martin
Subs: Williams, Bell, O’Dowda, Benarous, Bentley, Cundy. Conway
Reading: Hein, Yiadom, Morrison (c), Holmes, Rahman, Laurent, Rinomhota, Dele-Bashiru, Hoilett, Ince, Joao
Subs: Swift, Drinkwater, Abrefa, Southwood, Clarke, McIntyre, Camara
Goals: Semenyo 44’, Morrison (og) 47’, Swift (pen) 74’
