Andy Hughes scored a late equaliser to rescue a point for struggling Reading at the Madejski Stadium.

The Royals have won just one of their six matches since manager Alan Pardew left to join West Ham.

Their fortunes appeared to have changed when Steve Sidwell put the home team in the lead.

But goals either side of half-time from Paul Evans and Andy Gray gave Bradford a lead they barely deserved after Reading dominated for long periods before Hughes' equaliser.

Reading lost caretaker manager Kevin Dillon on the eve of the match due to family reasons, meaning director of football Nicky Hammond and chief scout Brian McDermott took charge.

And the players provided the perfect response with an early goal.

The ball dropped to Sidwell after Shaun Goater failed to control Nicky Forster's cross and the former Arsenal midfielder slipped the ball past Mark Paston.

Reading almost doubled the lead soon after but Bradford goalkeeper Paston was equal to Forster's shot.

Paston then kept the visitors in the game with a string of fantastic saves to keep out a well-struck shot by Forster, a header from Kevin Watson and a Goater volley.

The equaliser came in the 44th minute as Evans punished some sloppy defending to curl in a right-foot shot from 25 yards.

And the Bantams took a shock lead 10 minutes into the second half.

Ben Muirhead ran from the halfway line and beat two defenders before playing the ball into the path of Gray, who beat Marcus Hahnemann for his second goal in two matches.

Omar Daley headed over and Sidwell had a shot saved by Paston as Reading pressed for an equaliser and the pressure paid off after 78 minutes.

Forster was fouled by Paul Heckingbottom and the resulting free-kick by Shorey looked to be going in before Hughes made sure and added the final touch.

And Paston made a superb save to prevent Sidwell from scoring a winner for Reading with a 30-yard-strike.

Reading: Hahnemann, Newman, Shorey, Mackie, Williams, Murray, Sidwell, Watson, Hughes, Goater, Forster. Subs: Ashdown, Salako, Savage, Tyson, Daley.

Bradford: Paston, Edds, Wetherall, Gavin, Heckingbottom, Summerbee, Windass, Evans, Muirhead, Gray, Cornwall. Subs: Beresford, Emanuel, Francis, Kearney, Wolleaston.

Referee: P Walton (Northamptonshire).