Grant Holt's stoppage-time goal earned three vital points to keep Norwich City very much in the thick of the Championship's top six, writes Mark Burchett.
It had looked though, that after Shane Long equalised Henri Lansbury's opening goal and unable to take advantage of Jem Karacan's second half sending off, City would have to settle for a point.
But the never-say-die Canaries piled on the pressure as they game went past the ninety minute mark and they and City's captain Holt in particular, got their reward when he scored from close-range.
Paul Lambert had made two changes to the side that lost 2-1 at Burnley, dropping Zak Whitbread and Simeon Jackson to the bench, although more significantly it signalled the end of his experimental 3-4-1-2 line-up.
The City boss reverted back to his more familiar diamond line-up, starting with a flat-back four of Adam Drury, Elliott Ward, Leon Barnet and Russell Martin. He reacquainted Chris Martin with Grant Holt up front.
Andrew Surman, who hadn't been involved in the first-team matchday squad since Lambert's men thrashed Ipswich 4-1 in November, made a welcome re-appearance on the bench. The summer signing from Wolves had an hour's match experience midweek in the Norfolk Senior Cup defeat and made a significant contribution today after his 63rd minute introduction.
For the visitors, striker Shane Long overcame a hip-problem, who has scored nine goals in his last 11 appearances and of more concern to City fans, has scored five goals in four games against Norwich!
Brian Howard after a toe-injury returned to the starting line-up, although Alex Pearce, once on loan with the Canaries, didn't shake off his thigh injury.
Reading were the first to show winning a corner within the first minute, but City soon began to assert themselves on the game and deservedly took the lead in the 16th minute.
After a mazy run by Wes Hoolahan had made fools of the Royals defence, the Irishman cut the ball back to Lansbury, who from six-yards out put the ball into the far corner past Adam Federici.
It should really have been two-nil when Chris Martin had put Holt through with just the keeper to beat. After a one-on-one last week which he failed to beat the keeper with a side foot shot, he went for power this time and blazed his shot over the bar.
Then against the run of play, the visitors made the most of a counter-attack initiated by their right winger Jimmy Kebe. Elliott Ward failed to cut him out, which allowed Kebe to find Long in the six-yard area, who made no mistake beating John Ruddy.
This was clearly a blow to City who took some time to get back in top gear and the first half ended with both sides cancelling each other out.
HALF-TIME: City 1 Reading 1
Neither manager made a change as the second half began with the Canaries kicking towards their favoured Barclay end. But like the first half, Reading started strongly and much to the relief of the home fans the referee ignored penalty claims from the visiting players when Jay Tabb went down very easily under pressure from David Fox.
City's Man of the Match Hoolahan was seeing plenty of the ball, linking up play and looking to create chances at every opportunity. The Irishman had City's first shot of the second period which was saved by Federici and then in the 58th minute, he found Chris Martin with a left wing cross. But Martin, struggling for goals, softly heads the ball wide.
Lansbury, who had been booked in the first half, was replaced by Surman who so very nearly made an immediate impact after being put through by Chris Martin, only to be flagged offside.
The game was in danger of boiling over in the 65th minute when Karacan's nasty looking foul on David Fox, earnt the Royal's midfielder a straight red card and City's midfielder in need of lengthy treatment.
Surman went even closer in the 68th minute, after a quickly taken corner, his shot came back off the bar with Federici beaten. He then turned provider, finding Crofts whose shot was comfortably saved by the Royal's keeper.
The Royal's keeper was busy again in the 74th minute, denying Hoolahan at the expense of a corner.
Leon Barnet pulled up sharply as Antonio, on for Robson-Kanu, got away from him before the Royal's midfielder shot was blocked by Adam Drury.
That was the City defender's last contribution as he was replaced by Whitbread in the 79th minute. Two minutes later Lambert threw his last role of the dice bringing on Aaron Wilbraham in place of Chris Martin.
It was mainly one-way traffic towards the Royals goal in the final ten minutes as City continued in search of that elusive winning goal but ten-man Reading were defending very resolutely.
But they finally got the breakthrough they deserved in the final of the four minutes extra time! Croft's cross from the left evaded Wilbraham, but Holt at the far post made no mistake to score his fourteenth of the season.
Within seconds, the referee blew the whistle for full-time!
FULL-TIME: City 2 Reading 1