Andy Hughes piled the pressure on Wolves manager Dave Jones as he struck the winner at Molineux to continue the home side's poor run.

Hughes struck 12 minutes into the second half to ensure Reading leap-frogged their opponents in the table.

It left promotion favourites Wolves without a victory in four league outings.

The result was all the more disappointing for the home fans as their side had dominated a niggly and uninspiring 45 minutes when Paul Ince had looked the classiest player on show.

Wolves full-back Lee Naylor had a 30-yard shot comfortably held by the Royals' goalkeeper Marcus Hahnemann after 17 minutes, then Ricky Newman drove the ball wide at the other end.

Ince was proving highly influential and was upended after 21 minutes by Andy Hughes, whose name joined that of Newton in the referee's notebook for the challenge.

The booking count rose to three seven minutes later when Tony Rougier was cautioned for a foul on Wolves' stand-in goalkeeper Matt Murray, who was deputising for the injured Michael Oakes.

Reading striker Jamie Cureton shot over the crossbar and Wolves forward George Ndah, surprisingly recalled with in-form Nathan Blake demoted to the bench, was booked for fouling Salako.

The second half began more promisingly with Hahnemann having to save an Irwin free-kick and his former Manchester United team-mate Ince drilling the ball over the crossbar from 25 yards.

But the home fans were stunned when Hughes, who had been struggling with a knee injury all week, latched onto a Hahnemann clearance and swept the ball home from 30 yards.

Wolves: Murray, Irwin, Naylor, Lescott, Butler, Ingimarsson, Rae, Ince, Newton, Ndah, Sturridge. Subs: Feuer, Miller, Cooper, Edworthy, Blake.

Reading: Hahnemann, Mackie, Williams, Upson, Murty, Watson, Hughes, Newman, Salako, Rougier, Cureton. Subs: Whitehead, Shorey, Forster, Igoe, Henderson.

Referee: M Ryan (Lancashire)