Nicky Forster hooked a Chris Lucketti clearance from Alex Smith's corner past Martyn Margetson and a clutch of static Town defenders to open the scoring.
Forster could have had a second goal but Margetson pulled off a superb one handed save, just one of two he performed during the match.
Reading fully deserved their first half lead but the Terriers came out with all guns blazing in the second half and had some realistic chances, notably, an Andy Booth header which bounced wide, but couldn't find a way past the Royals defence.
Things didn't go Town's way in the second half and tempers became frayed between the Town players, and Lou Macari.
With the Terriers resorting to long ball tactics with minutes to go, the introduction of Dwayne Mattis and Paul Macari to the field didn't pay off.
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Match Stats
Reading (4-4-2): Whitehead, Murty, Robinson, Williams, Harper, Smith, Whitbread, Parkinson, Hughes (Igoe 14), Forster, Rougier (Henderson 63)
Subs not used: Viveash, Ashdown, Shorey
Booked: Igoe, Williams
Town (4-4-2): Margetson, Jenkins, Evans, Lucketti, Gray, Armstrong (Thorington 63), Beech, Holland, Irons (Mattis 87), Hay (Macari 87), Booth
Subs not used: Digby, Moses
Booked: Beech, Lucketti, Booth, Thorington
Referee: Adam Butler (Nottinghamshire)
Attendance: 11,915
