Reading FC lost their seventh Championship match on the spin as their 150th birthday celebrations were cut short by Coventry City.
The day started well for the Royals after Lucas Joao headed them in front to send a sold out Select Car Leasing Stadium into euphoria.
The Sky Blues hit back with a killer blow just before half-time and then compounded Reading’s misery by scoring just minutes after the restart.
Andy Yiadom levelled for the Royals but a red card to Junior Hoilett was quickly followed by a goal from Ian Maatsen to put the visitors back ahead.
Reading have now lost their last eight games in all competitions and are one place above the relegation zone.
Veljko Paunovic made one change from Wednesday night’s defeat to Bristol City as John Swift returned to the starting eleven in place of Tom Dele-Bashiru.
Meanwhile, there was a much welcomed return to the matchday squad for Yakou Meite for the first time this season after his long injury lay off.
Despite having the full backing of a sold out Select Car Leasing Stadium, it was the visitors who looked strong early on.
They should have been in front after six minutes and would have been had it not been for a sensational stop from Karl Hein on his home debut.
Callum O’Hare squared the ball for Viktor Gyokeres at close range who struck at goal, but the Arsenal loanee got down low to claw the ball away with goal with a vital stop.
Reading responded from that early scare by winning their first corner of the match that was cleared out comfortably by Coventry.
The Royals’ first attempt at goal came in the 11th minute when Tom Ince got down the right byline, cut back onto his left to deliver a cross into the box but Junior Hoilett could only manage a tame header that was caught by Simon Moore.
The first yellow card of the game came in the 14th minute when Jake Bidwell brought down Andy Yiadom.
The hosts began to build some momentum and after being urged to shoot by the home crowd, Josh Laurent accepted their invitation and hit a low drive from 30 yards that whistled just past the post.
Having got a foothold in the game, Reading opened the scoring in the 23rd minute.
A slick move from Reading ended with an inswinging cross from Hoilett that was met at close range by Lucas Joao who nodded the ball past the keeper to send the home crowd into jubilation.
With the stadium rocking, Reading came close to taking advantage of their momentum twice in quick succession after the opener.
Moore had to claw John Swift’s cross off the line after his pass just evaded the head of Joao before Tom Ince’s curling effort flew just wide of the far post.
The Sky Blues tried to hit back in search of levelling the game but were thwarted by an excellent block at the back from Michael Morrison.
But with half-time approaching, Coventry snuck a goal back with virtually the last play of the half.
Hyam fired a shot through a crowd of bodies and found the bottom corner to make the game level at the break.
But after a largely positive opening 45 minutes to the match, Reading made a disastrous start to the second-half and found themselves behind within minutes.
Yiadom made a crucial block to prevent a cross entering the box but Mark Robin’s team capitalised from the resulting corner when Michael Rose met Gustavo Hamer’s pacy delivery and powered a header in at the near post.
But the home side weren’t behind for long and equalised from a corner of their own.
Yiadom won his duel in the air to meet the ball and his header crept in after Coventry couldn’t clear the ball on the line.
Hamer had the chance to come up with a quick reply for Coventry with a dangerous free-kick but he got too much height on his shot that didn’t trouble Hein and flew over the target.
Reading had to play the remaining 30 minutes with 10 men after Hoilett received a second yellow card for a poorly timed challenge and was sent off.
It proved to be a dreadful couple of minutes for the hosts who went behind for the second time in the match just moments after Hoilett’s red card.
Ian Maatsen broke into the box on the right hand side and his shot took a deflection and looped over Hein to put the Sky Blues back in front.
The Royals came closest to an equaliser when substitute Yakou Meite went on an excellent surging run down the right and crossed for Ince who somehow scooped the ball over the top from close range.
Young forward Jahmari Clarke was sent on for the final five minutes as Reading looked to salvage a point from the match.
But they were unable to breach the Coventry defence and fell to another league defeat to put them deeper into trouble in their battle for Championship survival.
Reading have a huge relegation six pointer on Wednesday night away at Peterborough United.
Reading: Hein, Yiadom, Morrison (c), Holmes, Rahman, Rinomhota, Laurent, Swift, Ince, Hoilett, Joao
Subs: Southwood, McIntyre, Abrefa, Meite, Dele-Bashiru, Camara, Clarke
Coventry City: Moore, Clarke-Salter, Rose, O’Hare, Sheaf, Hyam (c), Gyokeres, Maatsen, Kane, Bidwell, Hamer
Subs: Wilson, McFadzean, Jones, Allen, Shipley, Tavares, Howley
Goals: Joao 23’, Hyam 45+”2, Rose 48’, Maatsen 65’
