Reading came from behind to win 4-2 in a dramatic top-of-the-table clash against West Ham this afternoon.
The hosts started the match in perfect fashion, taking the lead after just seven minutes when Carlton Cole reacted to Kevin Nolan's header rebounding off the post to steer past Adam Federici.
Noel Hunt should have levelled the sides after 23 minutes, but he saw his effort cleared off the line by James Tomkins.
The visitors got their equaliser just before half time, however, when Kaspars Gorkss got on the end of Ian Harte's corner.
They completed their dramatic first-half comeback just a minute later when Julien Faubert's mistake gifted Hunt a chance, which he duly buried.
The Royals got their third just before the hour mark when Abdoulaye Faye brought down Hunt in the box. Up stepped Harte, and the set-piece specialist made no mistake from the spot.
The Hammers weren't ready to give up yet, however, and they fought back through Ricardo Vaz Te's powerful header to bring the deficit back to just one goal.
Any hopes of a similar comeback to that of Reading's in the first half was ended quickly, however, as Mikele Leigertwood fired a fourth in for the Royals to put the result beyond doubt.
The result ensures that Reading remain in the automatic promotion spots, now four points ahead of third-placed West Ham.
Barney Corkhill
