If Huddersfield Town wanted a yardstick of just where they stand in the Championship as they approach the halfway stage of the season then this frustrating defeat provided an excellent measure.
Going into the game just five points and five places separated the two sides in the Championship ladder.
However, to the dispassionate eye Reading, who started sixth in the table, are a side expected to be involved in the play-offs, while Town were trying to show they have what it takes to aspire to a top-six finish.
The upshot was tough on Town, who created plenty of chances but were stung as Reading clinically dispatched the best of their opportunities and then soaked up pressure.
While visiting keeper Alex McCarthy was busy and also outstanding at times, Reading never looked too flustered in defence as Town surged forward in the opening stages.
And in possession Reading, missing seven key players through injury or suspension but with a team still boasting plenty of players with Premier League experience, counter-attacked when the space was available or took the momentum away from Town by retaining possession with some comfort.
And in the end a Pavel Pogrebnyak raid down the left that led to Billy Sharp, on loan from Southampton since September, heading in his second goal in three starts on 32 minutes – which proved enough to secure the points for the Royals.
Town were without midfielder Jonathan Hogg, with a knee problem, and leading scorer James Vaughan, who was counted out with a nagging ankle injury.
Huddersfield created chance after chance, but lacking the firepower of 12-goal Vaughan it became a sorry tale of what might have been as a mixture of McCarthy and misses left them with no reward.
Among the best of the early chances Adam Hammill fired straight at McCarthy from an Oscar Gobern pass on 18 minutes, and just a minute later left back Paul Dixon beat opposite number Chris Gunther and then cut inside Alex Pearce, only to shoot wide.
Martin Paterson then scooped a shot over the bar after Hammill’s cross fell to him off a defender, and soon after a pass from Oliver Norwood ran to the unmarked Danny Ward who failed to make the most of his unexpected opportunity.
Reading finally countered to some effect with Kaspars Gorkss heading wide from a Jordan Obita free-kick.
Then came Pogrebnyak’s gallop to the byline to cross and Sharp took his chance, even though Town keeper Alex Smithies got a hand to the ball.
The second half continued in the same vein and Town’s best efforts saw Ward force McCarthy into another good save on 65 minutes and Norwood fire over from a Hammill cross.
Town’s frustration was complete in the fourth minute of time added on as Lynch lost the plot.
Booked on 87 minutes for a foul on Pogrebnyak, he was then sent off for a second yellow as he fouled the Russian again.
The incident occurred near the touchline on halfway with the Reading player posing no threat and with the game pretty much over – and you have to feel that his manager will not have been totally made up with the central defender’s actions.
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Run of the ball
2 mins: Oliver Norwood shoots over from a Martin Paterson assist.
7 mins: Paterson has shot saved by Alex McCarthy from a Danny Ward flick on.
17 mins: McCarthy saves well again from Adam Hammill after Oscar Gobern had put him in.
18 mins: Norwood plays in Paul Dixon but the left back puts his shot wide.
19 mins: Ward is the next to be denied by McCarthy after hitting a shot from just outside the box.
27 mins:Hammill sets up Gobern, but yet again McCarthy saves.
31 mins: Pavel Pogrebnyak escapes on the left and has the time and space to deliver the cross for Billy Sharp to head home.
33 mins: Reading’s Jordan Obita also prospers on the left and cuts in on goal, only for Town keeper Alex Smithies to get down well to save.
37 mins: Town’s Oliver Norwood is booked for a foul.
41 mins: Reading’s Daniel Williams is Booked for a foul.
46 mins: Paterson has an early chance in the second half but heads wide.
56 mins: Norwood plays in Hammill but his shot goes wide.
71 mins: Reading substitute Garath McCleary gets room to shoot but his effort is saved by Smithies.
73 mins: Dixon sends Paterson in on goal and his shot eludes McCarthy but comes out off the base of the post.
76 mins: Adam Clayton sets himself for a shot from outside the box but his effort is blocked.
86 mins: Town’s Joel Lynch picks up a caution for a foul.
90+4 mins: Having been yellow carded for a foul just minutes before, Lynch needlessly floors Pogrebnyak and sees red.
