Reading had to settle for a draw as they were frustrated by 10-man Sheffield Wednesday who held on for a point despite playing with one less player for more than 50 minutes of the match.
Wednesday went ahead early through Callum Paterson, but Reading piled on the pressure after Liam Shaw was sent off for a dangerous tackle and they found their reward when Lucas Joao headed in against his former club.
The Royals pushed for a winner but Tony Pulis’ side stayed resilient and organised to stifle the attack and dig in for a point, despite Reading having two strong claims for penalties in the second half.
Veljko Paunovic made just one change his side who ended their losing run with a convincing win over Bristol City on Saturday as Alfa Semedo replaced the injured Yakou Meite, who is expected to be fit for the weekend.
The Royals worked the first big chance of the game just six minutes in when Omar Richards spotted the decisive run of Joao and slide the ball through the Wednesday defence to find him, but the in form striker scuffed his shot just wide of the far post on his weak foot.
Going a goal down to a Pulis managed team is never advisable due to the renowned defensive resilience of his sides, and Reading must have been cursing their luck when they conceded from Wednesday’s first attack.
They seized their first opportunity of the game as Adam Reach’s deep cross to the back post was met by Callum Paterson who nodded the ball into the ground and found the far corner as Reading conceded their 18th goal in their last eight Championship games.
Paterson caused another scare when he stooped low to meet Palmer’s cross but his effort flew just wide of the target much to the relief of Rafael.
But the Royals began to grow into the game and young star Michael Olise was a matter of inches away from finding a leveller from a free kick as his curling effort struck the frame of the goal.
Reading were then handed a one man advantage as the Owls continued their poor disciplinary record with their fifth red card of the season.
Liam Shaw flew in recklessly over the top of the ball as he made contact with Richards, who was fortunate to escape serious injury, leaving the referee no choice but to show him a red card.
With an extra player, Paunovic’s side peppered the Wednesday goal in search of an equaliser as Olise’s deflected shot from distance whiskered past the far post, before Joao tested Joe Wildsmith who just managed to clutch the ball after a clever back heel flick from the Portuguese forward from a corner.
Wildsmith then made a sensational save to prevent Reading from drawing level. Ovie Ejaria sent in an inswinging cross which was volleyed goalwards by Alfa Semedo but Wildsmith showed outstanding reactions to fly across his goal and claw the ball over the crossbar.
Reading were then kept out by a superb piece of defending from Reach who beat Tom Holmes to the ball just yards from the line who had looked destined to tap the ball in from close range after Richards smashed the ball across the face of goal.
But the Royals’ persistence finally paid off just before the break as Joao netted against his former club with his 10th league goal of the season.
Ejaria delicately clipped a free kick into the box as Joao climbed above Paterson to nod the ball in from close range in the 44th minute to level the score going into half-time.
Pulis took drastic action at half-time as he made a triple change.
Reading were bemused not to have been awarded a spot kick early in the second half as Olise carved open the Owls defence to find the run of Richards who went down under a clumsy challenge in the box, but the referee made a puzzling decision as he gave a free kick to the hosts.
Olise again came close on the hour mark as his free kick grazed the top of the net as Reading continued their dominance in search of an equaliser.
Michael Morrison almost found the net from a corner as he averted the Owls defence with a near post run but his header flew across the face of goal as Semedo couldn’t quite reach it.
Paunovic made his first two changes in the 70th minute as Sone Aluko and Tomas Esteves replaced Holmes and Andy Rinomhota.
Ejaria blasted a powerful shot at goal but straight at Wildsmith who parried the ball away but to no danger as it was cleared, with the visitors frantically searching for an equaliser in the final 10 minutes.
Reading were again unfortunate to have not been given a penalty when Josh Laurent’s shot was bound for the net but struck the arm of Reach, but the referee waved away the appeals for a spot kick.
They then had another penalty claim in stoppage time when Laurent went down in the box, but again the referee was uninterested and gave a free kick the way of the hosts.
With other results going their way, Reading would have found themselves back at the top of the table with a win, but were unable to find a decisive goal.
Reading: Rafael, Holmes, Moore, Morrison, Richards, Laurent, Rinomhota, Semedo, Olise, Ejaria, Joao
Subs: Walker, Esteves, Gibson, McIntyre, Watson, Tetek, Onen, Aluko, Baldock
Sheffield Wednesday: Wildsmith, Palmer, Borner, Lees, Van Aken, Bannan, Reach, Harris, Luongo, Shaw, Paterson
Subs: Dawson, Odubajo, Dele-Bashiru, Penney, Pelupessy, Brown, Iorfa, Kachunga, Rhodes
Goals: Paterson 12′, Lucas Joao 44′
