A NIGHTMARE start saw Reading pay the price of a home defeat for the first time since December as Shrewsbury Town came away with three points.
Despite being the lowest scorers in the division, Shrewsbury netted twice inside the opening five minutes to stun the home crowd.
Reading came fighting back and clawed it back to 2-2 with goals from Sam Smith and Kelvin Ehibhatiomhan before the Shrews restored their lead on the stroke of half-time.
The visitors then held on in a goalless second-half to take the points. The result leaves Reading in 16th place, five points above the drop zone.
Following Reading’s midweek home success over Port Vale, Ruben Selles made just one switch which saw Charlie Savage take Michael Craig’s spot in central midfield.
The Royals had the chance to push higher up the table and further away from the relegation zone following their recent run of excellent form.
In a whirlwind of a start to proceedings, there were three goals inside the opening nine minutes.
The visitors, who came into the game as the lowest scorers in the entire division netted two goals before the clock even showed five minutes past three.
A corner routine worked to the edge of the box ended with a quite stunning volley from Jordan Shipley who connected sweetly to plant the ball into the top left hand corner.
With their very next attack, Shrewbsury doubled their advantage when Tom Bayliss shifted past Tyler Bindon in the box before slotting the ball in at David Button’s near post.
With the home crowd stunned, while the travelling fans were in a state of elation, their joy would be short lived as the Royals clawed a goal back quickly.
Harvey Knibbs sent the ball through for Sam Smith who poked the ball past the onrushing goalkeeper and into the bottom corner.
After a manic start, the game tempered slightly which allowed both sides, and their supporters, to catch their breath.
Reading could have got themselves level when Kelvin Ehibhatiomhan anticipated a back pass from Morgan Feeney, but with two defenders tracking him, he opted to shoot instead of laying the ball off for Smith.
The Royals did get themselves level in the 36th minute thanks to a big slice of luck.
Ehibhatiomhan drove at the Shrews defence and fired a shot that took a wicked deflection off a Shrewbsury body as the ball looped over keeper Marko Marosi before nestling in the corner.
There were chances for Smith, who glanced a header over the top before he failed to make contact with a threaded ball from Lewis Wing.
Despite the home side now dominating the match and creating plenty of chances, it was the away side who restored their lead with the final action of the first-half.
Three Royals players failed to track the movement of Tom Bloxham who ghosted to the edge of the box and had plenty of room to pick his spot as his outswinging shot curled into the top corner.
Mola tried the spectacular to try and get Reading back on terms early in the second-half and despite making a good connection, his half volley flew just off target.
Ehibhatiomhan had a sight of goal when he drifted away from a defender to make space to get his shot away as his powerful hit flew over the top.
With a little over 25 minutes remaining, Selles made a double change that saw Ben Elliott and Paul Mukairu replace Savage and Ehibhatiomhan.
Azeez came close to levelling when he cut onto his left inside the box and blasted a shot that was turned behind for a corner. Reading had the ball in the net from the set-piece but the referee had already sounded his whistle to give the Shrews a free-kick.
A final roll of the dice saw forward Jayden Wareham brought on for the final few minutes plus injury time.
But the second-half continued to be a frustrating affair as the Royals were unable to find a way back into the match.
Next up for Reading is a trip to bottom of the table Carlisle United.
Reading: Button, Yiadom, Bindon, Mbengue, Mola, Savage, Wing, Knibbs, Azeez, Ehibhatiomhan, Smith
Subs: Pereira, Monlouis, Elliott, Craig, Mukairu, Wareham, Abrefa,
Shrewsbury Town: Marosi, Benning, Feeney, Winchester, Hinchy, Bowman, Pierre, Bloxham, Bayliss, Dunkley, Shipley
Subs: Burgoyne, Sraha, Kenneh, Sobowale, Bennett, Perry, O’Brien
Goals: Shipley 3’, Bayliss 5’, Smith 9’, Ehibhatiomhan 36’, Bloxham 45+5’
Attendance: 12,904
Away: 783
