Antoine Semenyo enhanced his growing reputation as Bristol City deepened Reading’s relegation fears with a 2-1 Championship win at Ashton Gate.
The 22-year-old striker fired his side in front from Andreas Weimann’s pass after 44 minutes and hit a post in the second half of a lively individual contribution.
Semenyo was also involved in the second goal two minutes after the break, feeding the overlapping Cameron Pring, whose low cross from the left was turned into his own goal by Michael Morrison.
Reading gave themselves hope in the 74th minute when Tom Ince was brought down by Timm Klose and substitute John Swift rifled home the penalty.
But, despite late pressure, it was not enough to ease the pressure on manager Veljko Paunovic, who heard travelling fans chanting for his dismissal in the second half.
City boss Nigel Pearson missed the game to undergo what the club described as a “scheduled routine medical procedure”, leaving assistant Curtis Fleming in charge.
The hosts gave a home debut to recent signing Klose, while Reading had goalkeeper Karl Hein and Ince making their first appearances for the club on loan.
After a bright City start, it was their opponents who created the first clear chance after 13 minutes when Tom Dele-Bashiru broke onto a through ball and saw his shot deflected wide by a saving challenge from Tomas Kalas.
The home side had to make a change in the 17th minute when midfielder Han-Noah Massengo limped off to be replaced by Joe Williams.
Semenyo fired wide of the near post from a difficult angle from City’s first threat, which was a rarity in the opening half hour.
It took them 35 minutes to force a save of note from Hein, who dived to his left to palm away Jay Dasilva’s low drive.
Weimann headed over from a Pring cross and it was his industry and initial shot that led to Semenyo breaking the deadlock.
Reading’s defence was breached again for the own goal just after the break and City looked set to stretch their lead further as Semenyo saw his volley come back off the woodwork.
But Swift’s penalty injected new life into the visitors and Fleming saw his side live on their nerves after replacing the more defensive Pring with winger Callum O’Dowda.
City’s penalty area became a shooting gallery as they were pinned back, throwing bodies on the line to protect their advantage.
It wasn’t Reading’s night in front of goal, their final effort a 90th-minute shot from Swift that was deflected up and over the crossbar, leaving them two points above the relegation zone.
