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Reading’s run of three consecutive victories was ended as they were beaten by the Championship’s bottom club Derby County.
In the only goal of the game, Craig Forsyth looped a header over Luke Southwood in the 33rd minute to give Wayne Rooney’s team much-needed boost after their recent points deduction.
The defeat, which is Reading’s first since August, leaves them 11th in the table.
There were parallels to draw between the two teams after Derby County suffered a 12 point deduction from the EFL for breaking profit and sustainability regulations, and Reading are expected to follow with a deduction in the following weeks.
However, on the pitch there were three points up for grabs as Royals boss Veljko Paunović made one change from the team that defeated Middlesbrough at the weekend.
The same makeshift back four, that kept Reading’s first clean sheet of the season against Boro, were in place while George Pușcaș replaced Junior Hoilett up front.
Former Royals striker Sam Baldock, who left the club in the summer after the expiration of his contract, was selected to start for the Rams.
The hosts made a promising start as Nathan Byrne tried to find a teammate in the box but Josh Laurent, who was again chosen to fill in at centre-back read the pass perfectly and cut it out.
Laurent again stole possession when he came across to full-back to intercept and get Reading going on the attack.
A Danny Drinkwater slip in midfield almost led to a Derby shot at goal but Andy Yiadom was alert to cover and made a brilliant block to protect his goalkeeper.
The Royals then came forward for their first useful attack as John Swift and Alen Halilovic combined to find Pușcaș, no one in a yellow shirt was there to meet his dangerous cross to the back post.
Graeme Shinnie was then shown the first caution of the game for Derby when he hauled back Pușcaș on the halfway line to break up an attack.
Halilovic looked to work his magic and he twisted and turned on the outside the box before he unleashed a left-footed shot that slashed just the wrong side of the post.
The Rams then worked a good move through the middle as Ravel Morrison threaded a clever ball through to Tom Lawrence who tested the gloves of Southwood who tipped the ball over for a corner.
Both sides continued to trade chances as Ovie Ejaria laid the ball into the path of Baba Rahman who ran onto the pass and hit a first timed shot that was turned behind by Ryan Allsop for a corner.
The home side took the lead in the 33rd minute when Craig Forsyth met Jason Knight’s cross and made a connection with his head that looped over goalkeeper Luke Southwood and beat Laurent on the back post to drop into the net.
Derby came close to doubling their lead in the 41st minute as they won the ball high up the field that led to a chance for Lawrence who breezed past two defenders before a combination of Southwood and Yiadom blocked his shot.
In search of an equaliser before the break, Tom Dele-Bashiru and Swift traded passes to work their way into the box with a quick move but Allsop was equal to Dele-Bashiru’s attempt.
Halilovic had Reading’s first chance of the second-half but again failed to find the target.
Paunović then made his first change of the game as Hoilett replaced Puscas.
Not long after, young forward Jahmari Clarke was called into action in place of Halilovic.
The Royals worked a superb chance as they won the ball high up the pitch as Curtis Davies was forced into an error but his goalkeeper bailed him out of trouble as he got his gloves behind a fierce Swift effort.
Reading’s final change of the night saw Scott Dann come on for his Royals debut as Dejan Tetek was withdrawn.
Despite having plenty of shots on goal and forcing several corners, the Royals did little to trouble their hosts in a frustrating performance.
Drinkwater had a half-chance from just outside the box but lost his footing as he went to shoot as the Royals still found themselves a goal behind with only five minutes left to make amends.
The best chance of the half presented itself in the 88th minute as Ejaria clipped in an inviting cross towards Laurent but he directed his header just wide.
Reading are on the road again on Saturday in their final match before the international break, away at Cardiff City.
Derby County: Allsop, Forsyth, Davies, Stearman, Byrne. Shinnie, Bird, Lawrence, Morrison. Knight, Baldock
Subs: Marshall, Buchanan, Williams, Sibley, Jozwiak, Stretton
Reading: Southwood, Tetek, Laurent, Yiadom (c), Rahman, Dele-Bashiru, Drinkwater, Ejaria, Swift, Halilovic, Pușcaș
Subs: Rafael, Stickland, Dann, Bristow, Hoilett, Ehibhationham, Clarke
Goals: Forsyth 33’
