READING FC reignited their promotion push with a battling 2-1 victory against Sheffield Wednesday.

Second-half goals from Roy Beerens in the 58th and 76th minute saw Royals return to winning ways following last week's horror show at Fulham, despite a 90th minute Steven Fletcher goal for Wednesday setting up tense finale.

This was hardly a classic at Madejski Stadium and Jaap Stam's men were rarely at their best against Carlos Carvalhal's Owls throughout the afternoon.

But if they keep picking up three points when they aren't in top form, the future certainly looks bright.

Stam made just the one change from the side that crashed 5-0 at Craven Cottage as Liam Moore returned from a one-match ban in place of Danny Williams, who started his three-game suspension for violent conduct.

There was also a welcome return for fit-again strike Yann Kermorgant, who took his place on an strong-looking bench that included Yakou Meite and Joseph Mendes.

Stam, though, tweaked his formation to 5-3-2 with Chris Gunter and Jordan Obita as wing-backs and Garath McCleary deployed in a central attacking position alongside Dominic Samuel.

It was Moore who had the first chance of the match when he planted a firm header over the bar from McCleary's fifth-minute corner.

Then five minutes later Moore was involved at the other end by blocking a Tom Lees effort after good work by Adam Reach, before Barry Bannan fired wide from 25 yards from the resulting corner.

Wednesday threatened again soon after when Atdhe Nuhui cut in from the right and drilled a long-range effort over the bar.

But Royals almost shot themselves in the foot in the 15th minute when Ali Al-Habsi's pass to Tyler Blackett was easily intercepted by Nuihi in their own box.

Thankfully, Royals' keeper atoned for his error with a wonderful fingertip save to keep out a Ross Wallace rocket from the corner of the area.

Stam's men were playing some tidy stuff without really hitting top gear.

It took them until the 27th minute to threaten again when Paul McShane arrived around the back of the visitors' defence to meet a McCleary free-kick with a diving header, but it failed to trouble Keiren Westwood.

It was all a bite stale from the home side. There was no lack of effort from Stam's men, but they struggled to find gaps in Wednesday's well-drilled defence.

Stam resisted the temptation to freshen things up at the break, only to see Wednesday create the first chance of the second half when Bannan's 25-yard free-kick floated narrowly over Al-Habsi's bar after van den Berg had coughed up possession.

And Royals received a major let-off in the 51st minute when Lucas Joao raced into the area and turned inside both McShane and Moore, only to miss the target from 10 yards with only Al-Habsi to beat.

It proved a costly miss as Reading took the lead seven minutes later – albeit against the run of play.

McCleary's free-kick from the right came out to to Evans, who laid the ball off to Beerens just outside the area.

The Dutcham took aim and hit it first time, the ball deflecting off Glenn Loovens and wrongfooting Westwood before flying in at the near post.

Suddenly, Royals' tails were up and Westwood was called into action to save a van den Berg header from a well-worked set-piece routine.

As Owls pushed men forward, they were almost caught out on the break midway through the second half, but Beerens blazed over from a difficult angle.

Wednesday went close to snatching an equaliser in the 70th minute, but Joao failed to keep his shot down after the ball fell nicely to him in the area.

They were made to pay for their profligacy when Beerens grabbed his second of the day six minutes later.

Wednesday's defence were caught napping from Al_Habsi's punt upfield, and former Hertha Berlin winger Beerens nipped in before holding off a marker and sliding the ball past Westwood into the opposite corner.

Now it was Wednesday who were rattled and nasty challenge by Ross Wallace on McCleary sparked a melee involving players from both sides, ending with a flurry of yellow cards from referee Tony Harrington.

The visitors regrouped as Reach smacked one wide from a long way out with three minutes to go.

Then as the clock turned past the 90-minute mark, Wednesday pulled one back when Fletcher converted a cross at the back post.

Owls fans were on their feet and they almost levelled deep into stoppage time when Reach spun and shot from the edge of the area, only for Al-Habsi to turn it around the post at full-stretch.

Westwood went up for the resulting corner and, after a spell of ping-pong in the Royals' box, they finally cleared the danger.

In fact, Stam's men could have snatched a third on the counter attack, but substitute Joseph Mendes was tackled as he tried to play in Beerens for his hat-trick.

The victory means Reading remain third in the table and are now four-points ahead of Huddersfield and five ahead of Leeds United who they play at Elland Road on Tuesday night (7.45pm ko).

Reading: Al-Habsi, Gunter, McShane, L.Moore, Blackett, Obita, Beerens, van den Berg (Kelly 82), Evans, McCleary (Mendes 89), Samuel (Kermorgant 64). Subs not used: S.Moore, Cooper, Meite, Watson. Booked: Evans 44, van den Berg 48, McShane 80.

Sheffield Wednesday: Westwood, Reach, Hunt, Loovens, Lees, Lee, Wallace, Bannan, Hutchinson (Hirst 77), Nuhiu (Fletcher 60), Lucas João. Subs not used: Wildsmith, Palmer, Semedo, Pudil, Sasso. Booked: Nuhiu 29, Lee 72, Hutchinson 73, Wallace 79, Loovens 80.

Referee: Tony Harrington.

Attendance: 18,153 (Sheff Wed 2,296).