Reading surrendered a two-goal advantage to fall to a 3-2 defeat at home to Blackpool.

A win for the Royals would have put them into the top six for the first time this season and this looked the likely outcome at halftime as Reading went into the break 2-0 up.

However, a stunning comeback from the Tangerines saw them travel back home with all three points.

READ MORE: Veljko Paunovic says Reading 'crumbled' in frank assessment of Blackpool defeat

It started so well for Reading who took the lead 10 minutes into the game after a free-kick was whipped in from the left by Ovie Ejaria and Scott Dann’s glancing header beat the Blackpool keeper, Daniel Grimshaw.

Reading keeper Luke Southwood was then forced into a double save as he palmed away an effort from outside the box from Jordan Gabriel before getting up and superbly blocking the rebound.

The Royals then doubled their lead in the 21st  minute after George Puscas stole the ball off Marvin Ekpiteta and the ball was worked well across the goa until it found Tom Dele-Bashiru who fired past the keeper.

Blackpool responded well and if it wasn’t for a lunging challenge from Ejaria inside the box Demetri Mitchell would have been through on goal.

After a swift counter-attack five minutes from half-time Keshi Anderson found himself through on goal but a last-ditch challenge from the Royal’s captain Liam Moore stopped the forward in his tracks.

Reading almost put the game to bed in the opening minutes of the second half but a smart save from the onrushing Grimshaw saw Puscas’ effort saved.

Soon after Jerry Yates was booked for simulation after a scramble in the Reading penalty area saw the Blackpool forward go down in the box under the challenge from Southwood.

Five minutes later another Blackpool player found himself in the referee's book for diving as Demetri Mitchell threw himself the ground in the Reading box.

The visitors started the comeback in the 70th  minute after Dann’s clearance from a corner found its way to the substitute Owen Dale on the edge of the box and his strike bounced into the turf and past Southwood.

Blackpool then equalised three minutes later when Dale put in a great ball in from the left and Yates beat the offside and planted his header into the far post.

Dale nearly put the visitors in front linking up well with Sonny Carey who put him through on goal but the debutant poked his effort wide.

It was Sonney Carey who then went on to win a penalty for Blackpool after a mazy run in the Royal’s box.

Yates stepped up to score his second of the match and complete the away side’s comeback.

There were two late penalty shouts from Reading but both were waved away confidently by the referee to end a disappointing night for Velijko Paunovic’s men.