Reading kept their hunt to finish in the top-six on track after goals from Michael Olise, Lucas João and Andy Yiadom saw them cruise past Sheffield Wednesday.
George Puscas’ tenacious work won Reading a penalty when he was bundled to the ground which led to a red card for Julian Borner.
Olise converted from the spot and Reading deservedly extended their lead in the 65th minute through former Wednesday player João.
Yiadom wrapped up the three points with a third late in the game.
The win keeps Reading in fifth in the Championship and opens up a four-point gap on seventh placed Bournemouth.
Veljko Paunović was forced to make two changes from the side that beat Blackburn Rovers in midweek as both Michael Morrison and Ovie Ejaria missed out through injury.
Neither Andy Rinomhota nor Yakou Méïté were made available as they both recover from injury, while Tom Holmes and Tom McIntyre came into the side as the Royals lined up with a formation change with five at the back.
There was no early momentum for the sides after a stoppage in play which saw Wednesday’s Sam Hutchinson treated for an injury.
The Royals showed some attacking intent when George Puscas flicked the ball delicately to his strike partner Lucas João, who played the ball back for Alfa Semedo to strike a powerful shot but was thwarted by a block which brought the first corner of the game.
Tom Holmes had to make a vital interception to head behind for a corner after Osaze Urhoghide’s cross looked ideal for Barry Bannan to meet at the back post had it not been for the alert defending of Holmes.
Wednesday then rattled the crossbar from a corner when Tom Lees’ header grazed the top of the bar much to Reading’s relief.
The host began to gain control in the contest when Andy Yiadom found João who superbly dummied the ball to run through to Puscas who hit a first-timed effort that was comfortably saved by Joe Wildsmith.
The game took a dramatic twist in the 29th minute to swing in favour of the Royals when the Owls gave away a penalty and were reduced to 10 men.
Puscas anticipated a loose pass in the Wednesday half and latched onto the ball, he made his way into the box one-on-one with the keeper, but was cynically taken down by Julian Borner, leaving the referee no choice but to point to the spot and send the defender off after preventing a goal scoring opportunity.
Michael Olise was trusted with penalty duty after top scorer João had already missed three spot-kicks this season.
The young Frenchman sent the keeper the wrong way and tucked the ball neatly into the left corner to score his fifth Championship goal of the season.
Reading continued to look dangerous and tried to make advantage of the situation after Wednesday’s red card. Puscas looked to link up with his strike partner but slightly overhit his pass to Joao as the keeper collected.
A rash tackle from Liam Moore saw the Reading skipper pick up a yellow card and give away a free-kick on the edge of the box.
But the Owls squandered a big chance to test Rafael Cabral as Josh Windass smacked his free-kick into his teammate Callum Paterson.
Another strong piece of hold-up play from Puscas brought Olise into the play as he found his run but the Frenchman blasted an effort over the top.
The Royals applied early pressure in the second-half and it almost got worse for Wednesday when Urhoghide nearly diverted a cross into his own net.
The resulting corner then saw João try a brilliant flick at the near post that clipped the frame of the goal.
Another chance fell the way of João after Olise found him with a cross but he volleyed wide of the target.
Holmes came inches away from bagging his first goal for the Royals when he found himself free in the box but dragged his shot just wide of the far post.
Reading kept searching for a second and again came close when Olise put an inviting ball into the box which was diverted over the top by a Wednesday defender for a corner.
The Royals were finally rewarded with a second goal in the 65th minute when João converted against his former club.
Olise did brilliantly to work some space and find Yiadom wide right in the box and the full-back pulled the ball back for João who placed the ball into the corner to notch his 18th Championship goal of the season.
After finding the net, João was immediately taken off and replaced by Sone Aluko.
The Royals then added a third goal late in the game as Yiadom drove forward and drove the ball into the bottom corner to score his first goal of the campaign.
Reading cruised to a comfortable victory with their 16th clean sheet of the season to move four points clear of Bournemouth in seventh and stay three clear of sixth-placed Barnsley, who have a game in hand to play.
The Royals have two consecutive away games on the horizon, starting with an away trip to Nottingham Forest next Saturday.
Reading: Rafael, Richards, Moore (c), McIntyre, Yiadom, Holmes, Laurent, Semedo, Olise, Puscas, Joao
Subs: Southwood, Esteves, Dorsett, Tetek, East, Aluko, Camara, Azeez, Baldock
Sheffield Wednesday: Wildsmith, Palmer, Lees, Borner, Urhodhide, Harris, Hutchinson, Bannan, Shaw, Windass, Paterson
Subs: Jackson, Dunkley, Penney, Pelupessy, Brown, Reach, Kachunga, Marriott, Rhodes
Goals: Olise 30′ (pen), Lucas João 65, Yiadom 88
