The Royals' fell to their first home defeat of the campaign as they slipped to a disappointing 3-0 defeat to Sunderland this evening.
The visitors got the match under way, with the first real danger occurring in the tenth minute when Sam Hutchinson brought down Dan Neil on the edge of the box.
Alex Pritchard stepped up to take the free kick, which was eventually cleared when Jack Clarke fouled Royals skipper Andy Yiadom as he tried to bring the ball away.
Lynden Gooch then whipped a ball into the box, but Clarke couldn’t get his header goal bound. Tom McIntyre’s sliding tackle then denied Patrick Roberts making it onto the end of Neil’s forward pass.
Sunderland were in the ascendancy and McIntyre cut out Roberts’ ball with the visitors winning their first corner of the match - but Neil couldn’t control Pritchard’s cross.
At the other end, Junior Hoilett looked to pick out a blue and white shirt in the box, but his cross was blocked by Aji Alese.
But it was the Black Cats dictating the game, winning a succession of corners - the Royals' backline holding firm as they limited the visitors to shots from range, notably Neil’s effort not troubling Joe Lumley.
Neil then slid in forward Ellis Simms but his first time effort was deflected over the bar. Next, the lively Pritchard’s set piece was played short to Roberts who returned the ball and Pritchard picked out Clarke but McIntyre was there to clear once again.
McIntyre made headway at the other end soon after, charging forward but Simms got in the way of his cross as the Royals won their first corner of the game. Mamadou Loum met Hoilett’s corner kick into the box but Black Cats’ ‘keeper Anthony Patterson was equal to it.
Gooch had an effort from the edge of the area sail high and wide, but before the break the Black Cats deservedely took the lead. McIntyre found Lucas Joao, but he was unable to control the ball and subsiutute Elliott Embleton came away with it.
Embleton then picked out Roberts out on the wing who cut inside and curled his shot past Lumley to give the visitors the lead with a fine finish.
Roberts was then on the scoresheet two minutes with a carbon copy finish into the same corner; found again by Embleton, the midfielder took a touch before finding the bottom left corner.
The Royals looked for a response before the break with Yiadom finding Ince, who cut inside, but his low shot was held by the diving Patterson. Reading had a lot of work to do.
Half time: Reading 0-2 Sunderland
It was an even start to the second half with neither side able to create an opportunity until Roberts fired at Lumley, but his curling effort was well held by the Royals’ No.1.
Yiadom crossed into the box, but the ball was headed away by Luke O’Nien and Holmes had to intercepta Gooch pass at the other end as Sunderland looked for a third.
A half chance fell Reading's way when Ince’s floated ball into the box was initially headed away by Alese but it fell to Tyrese Fornah who was unable to keep his effort down.
And soon after the visitors got a third when Clarke controlled Neil’s low cross and fired into the bottom corner.
The Royals pushed to get back into the game but when the ball found Fornah in the box, he was unable to get his first time effort on target.
Jeff Hendrick’s interception in midfield found its way forward to substitute Yakou Meite, making his first appearance since the opening day, but he couldn’t keep his shot down.
Lumley found himself one-on-one with Clarke but the keeper did enough to put him off as his chipped effort went wide of the post.
The game was gone, but Reading kept pressing - Hoilett firing high and wide from a good position and Holmes connecting with a late Ince corner but unable to trouble the Sunderland stopper.
Sunderland substitute Jewison Bennette could have added a fourth in the dying stages in fact, Lumley saving low when the Costa Rican looked to beat him at his near post.
A performance to forget for the Royals.
Full time: Reading 0-3 Sunderland
Reading: Lumley (GK), Yiadom (C), Holmes, Hutchinson (Meite 65’), McIntyre, Hoilett, Hendrick, Loum (Rahman HT’), Fornah, Ince, Joao (Craig 85’).
Unused Subs: Bouzanis (GK), Guinness-Walker, Abrefa, Ehibhatiomhan.
Yellow Cards: Yiadom (71’).
Sunderland: Patterson (GK), Gooch, O’Nien, Batth, Alese, Clarke, Neil, Evans (Bennette 82’), Roberts (Diallo 74’), Pritchard (Matete 74’), Simms (Embleton 37’).
Unused Subs: Bass (GK), Hume, Dajaku.
Yellow Cards: Alese (62’).
Scorers: Roberts (39’, 41’), Clarke 69’.
Attendance: 12,061 (1,861 away).