READING FC dropped into the relegation places after they could only manage a draw at home to Birmingham City.
The Royals got off to the perfect start when Andy Carroll rounded off a sweeping team move after seven minutes.
The Blues replied just before the half hour mark when Lucas Jutkiewicz towered high and planted a header past Joe Lumley.
Despite picking up a point, Paul Ince’s team drop into the bottom three after both Huddersfield Town and Cardiff City collected away wins.
Reading trail 21st place Queens Park Rangers with six matches left to play.
Paul Ince vowed to switch to a more attacking system with the team in desperate need of points after being deducted six by the EFL on Tuesday Lucas Joao, Yakou Meite and Andy Carroll all started in attack in a positive looking line-up.
There was also a place in the squad for Scott Dann who returned from injury in an otherwise youthful looking substitutes bench.
With seven minutes on the clock, Reading got off to a flying start to inject some energy into the home crowd and ease the nerves around the ground.
Cesare Casadei shaped to shoot from distance, but instead played a disguised through ball into the path of Lucas Joao who flicked it back for Andy Carroll and he thumped the ball into the far corner after making a sweet connection with his left boot.
The Royals relinquished control which led to some chances for the away side.
Krystian Bielik was first to have a shot on goal for the visitors when he hit a low drive from just outside the area that was easily claimed by Joe Lumley.
Reading had to withstand some pressure as Amadou Mbengue did well to deal with a cross that was whipped into a dangerous position by Tahith Chong.
The spell of pressure eventually told and the Blues were level when Lukas Jutkiewicz was afforded time and space in the box to rise highest to meet Reda Khadra’s cross and showed his aerial prowess by powering a header past Lumley.
The hosts almost came up with a quick response when Joao tried to latch onto a ball into the box, but it just ran out of his reach and went on through to goalkeeper John Ruddy.
Tyrese Fornah continued to show persistence and energy down the left to fire in crosses towards his forwards and one of which ended with an appeal for a penalty when Jeff Hendrick’s tame shot hit a Birmingham body, but the referee waved away the appeals.
The team went in level at the break with it all to play for in the next 45 minutes.
Reading caused chaos in the box with a couple of long throws from Mbengue quickly after the restart, but weren’t able to convert it into a chance as Hendrick was unable to make a connection.
Carroll tried his luck with an optimistic effort from 25 yards that drifted low and was a simple enough take for Ruddy.
Fornah picked up the first booking of the game for a foul which gave the Blues a free-kick on the right wing.
Some excellent work on the right from Meite to beat his marker and send a drilled cross to the back post ended with the chance going begging with no Royals player in the box to profit.
The Blues had their own penalty appeals denied by the referee when Jutkiewicz went down under the challenge of Mbengue after Fornah had given the ball away cheaply.
Lumley came to his team’s rescue to prevent Birmingham from snatching the lead after Chong sped past the Royals backline with the Royals keeper needing to stay firm at his front post to keep him out.
Ince’s first switch of the game with 20 minutes to go saw Femi Azeez replace Fornah on the left.
With results going against Reading, they dropped down into the relegation places after being overtaken by Cardiff City and Huddersfield Town.
Next up for Reading is an Easter Monday trip away at Preston North End with the Royals needing points to try and overtake 21st place QPR.
After a change in referee which saw Jeremy Simpson replace the injured Scott Oldham, there were also changes among the players as Nesta Guinness-Walker took Meite’s place for the final 10 minutes.
After a goalmouth scramble following a corner kick, Carroll was unable to keep his shot on target and smacked wide with a whole host of bodies in the way.
Substitute Azeez came a matter of inches from giving Reading the lead when his volley dropped a couple of inches past Ruddy’s far post.
A decent strike from Hendrick forced a save from Ruddy in added time as the points were shared.
Reading: Lumley, Yiadom (c), Holmes, Sarr, Mbengue, Fornah, Hendrick, Casadei, Meite, Carroll, Joao
Subs: Bouzanis, Dann, Guinness-Walker, Abrefa, Craig, Azeez, Ehibhatiomhan
Birmingham City: Ruddy (c), Colin, Roberts, Long, Trusty, Chang, Bielik. Khadra, Chong, Jutkiewicz, Hall
Subs: Etheridge, Dean, James, Hannibal, Bacuna, Bellingham, Hogan
Goals: Carroll 7’, Jutkiewicz 29’
