A super strike from Nicky Shorey 20 minutes from time gave Reading all three points after a hard-fought victory over Bradford.

It would have been two had Nicky Forster not squandered a penalty in the second half, the Royals striker seeing his spot-kick saved by Steve Banks after he was brought down by Stephen Warnock.

Forster who had the first real shot of the game on the five-minute mark, but his effort from the edge of the area was blocked by a Bradford defender.

He again tried his luck from range to no avail as half time approached, before Paul Reid's drilled drive from the edge of the area was well-saved by Reading goalkeeper Marcus Hahnemann.

Both sides then contributed to a scrappy opening to the second half, before Forster headed wide of the upright from just six yards out.

Forster was then in the middle of the action again 10 minutes into the second period, when he was brought down in the penalty area by Bradford's Warnock with the referee having no hesitation pointing to the spot and brandishing a yellow card to the on-loan Liverpool man.

Up stepped Forster but, in keeping with the rest of the night, was unable to find the back of the net with Banks making a fine stop to his bottom left to keep the scoreline blank.

James Harper shot wide for the Royals, before Danny Cadamarteri produced a fantastic save from Hahnemann.

Shorey shot wide at the other end from the edge of the box, before he did succeed in opening the scoring with 20 minutes remaining, drilling in left-footed from 18 yards.

But Reading were defending for their lives in the closing stages, and it took another cracking save from Hahnemann to deny Ashley Ward with just seconds remaining.

Reading: Hahnemann, Murty, Williams, Upson, Shorey, Salako, Harper, Watson, Newman, Forster, Hughes. Subs: Mackie, Butler, Cureton, Ashdown, Tyson.

Bradford: Banks, Myers, Bower, Molenaar, Uhlenbeek, Gray, Warnock, Reid, Jacobs, Ward, Cadamarteri. Subs: Davison, Evans, Standing, Juanjo, Emanuel.

Referee: S Mathieson (Cheshire)