Yakou Méïté marked his return to the side with an equaliser as Reading rescued a point away at Nottingham Forest.
Reading’s run of three consecutive wins without conceding a goal was put to an end as Tom Holmes’ own goal put the Royals behind in the 49th minute but Meite found the back of the net to make sure the points were shared.
Lucas João had the best chance of the first-half for the visitors when he struck the post after a clever corner routine and Reading came close again in the second-half as they hit the post for the second occasion in the match as Andy Yiadom was denied a goal in consecutive matches.
But Méïté made an important contribution from the bench as he made his impact to fire in an 81st-minute equaliser.
Reading stay in fifth in the Championship, but are now level on point with sixth-placed Barnsley who earned an impressive away win at Bournemouth in a match between two fellow play-off rivals.
Veljko Paunović’s Royals lined up unchanged from their victory over Sheffield Wednesday, meanwhile both Yakou Méïté and Lewis Gibson returned from injury to be named among the substitutes.
Chris Hughton’s Forest side included a few familiar faces as former Reading players as Lewis Grabban and Tyler Blackett were named on the bench, while Glenn Murray started up top.
Reading lost concentration in the second minute of the match as Rafael Cabral gave away a sloppy corner after a poor short goal kick but the Royals cleared to prevent any early danger.
Andy Yiadom played the ball down the right flank to find Michael Olise who had two players to pick out in the middle with both Lucas João and George Pușcaș arriving, but his cross averted the Reading forwards.
There was an important bit of defending to do from skipper Liam Moore who got his head on Cryus Chrsitie’s cross after the full-back made a dangerous overlapping run and was found by Sammy Ameobi.
After a quiet opening 20 minutes, there was then a flurry of chances for both sides.
Filip Krovinovic worked space for a shot from 25 yards out but only forced a routine save from Rafael, but the Brazilian keeper was forced into a much more impressive save just moments later as he got across to keep out Murray’s flick at the near post.
The Royals had their first attempt at goal in the 27th minute when João went on a charging run towards the Forest box, but didn’t give Brice Samba too much to do as he saved his tame effort.
There was another chance for the hosts as Joe Lolley sprinted forward and cut inside onto his right foot and curled a testing effort inches wide of the far post with Rafael scrambling to try and cover the shot.
The best chance of the half fell the way of Reading top scorer João, in the 37th minute.
A short corner routine was executed brilliantly as the ball was played short to Tom McIntyre, who flicked the ball to João who was just eight yards out in the centre of the goal but he completely mishit his shot which he scuffed onto his standing foot as the ball rolled towards goal and hit the post.
Despite having more of the ball and the best chance of the half, the first 45 ended goalless at the City Ground.
A terrible start to the half saw Reading go behind in the 49th minute.
A long ball down the right-wing found Ameobi who showed great strength to shrug off the challenge of Omar Richards and then fired an inviting ball into the middle of the box that was inadvertently diverted into his own net by Tom Holmes, who was under pressure from Murray.
Reading had a superb chance to level the game just moments after going behind as Josh Laurent threaded a perfectly weighted ball through to Pușcaș, but the Romanian striker got under the ball and lifted it high over the bar from just 12 yards out.
Rafael came to Reading’s rescue to keep out Ameobi as he bent a shot that looked headed for the top corner, but the Royals shotstopper made a flying stop to keep him out.
Paunović made an attacking change with 30 minutes remaining as Méïté took the place of Alfa Semedo.
Reading continued to search for an equaliser as Olise worked his way into the middle as he breezed past a few attempted tackles, but his shot flew just wide of the far post.
A second change saw Pușcaș replaced by Sone Aluko with just under 20 minutes left in the contest.
The Royals struck the post for the second time in the match in the 75th minute as Olise found Yiadom in the box but the Forest keeper parried the ball onto the frame of the goal. The ball fell for Aluko on the rebound for Samba gathered his effort comfortably.
Yiadom continued to get forward from right-back and whipped in a cross to find João at the back post, but the Portuguese forward couldn’t head his effort on goal as another chance went begging.
With 10 minutes to go, Reading got themselves level as substitute Meite marked his return to the team with an equaliser. Joao held off the challenge of two defenders on the halfway line and fed the ball into the path of Meite who hit a shot which squirmed past Forest keeper Samba.
With just a minute of regular time left, Reading had a big chance for a winner with a free-kick from 25 yards out but Olise hit a disappointing effort over the bar as they were left to settle for a point.
The Royals are away in midweek with a trip to Birmingham City on Wednesday night with just 10 games of the season remaining.
Nottingham Forest: Samba, Christie, Figueiredo, McKenna (c), Bong, Cafu, Garner, Lolley, Krovinovic, Ameobi, Murray
Subs: Smith, Mbe Soh, Grabban, Freeman, Mighten, Yates, Blackett, Knockaert
Reading: Rafael, Yiadom, Holmes, Moore, Richards, McIntyre, Laurent, Semedo, Olise, Pușcaș, João
Subs: Southwood, Esteves, Gibson, Tetek, East, Aluko, Méïté, Camara, Baldock
Goals: Holmes OG 49′, Méïté 81′
