Reading FC 1 - 0 Huddersfield: Roy Beerens strikes as Royals sink 10-man Huddersfield Town

Roy Beerens scored the decisive goal on 41 minutes after Terriers saw Rajiv van la Parra red carded 15 minutes earlier.

Van la Parra only had himself to blame after a sending off all of his own making.

The Terriers winger had been booked for a heavy challenge on Obita in the 22nd minute when referee James Linington showed him a second yellow for dissent four minutes later, leaving the visitors a man short for more than an hour.

But to the Terriers' credit, they pushed Royals all the way and it was Jaap Stam's side who were the more relieved to hear the final whistle.

Even so, Reading keep moving in the right direction. This was their fourth win in five Championship matches to move up to fourth in the table and they are unbeaten in eight in all competitions.

Stam's men were rarely at their best against a Huddersfield side who were top of the table before they arrived.

Yet Royals did just enough to claim all three points after a captivating clash against David Wagner's visitors.

With Garath McCleary and Tyler Blackett suspended and Yakou Meite, Jake Cooper, Deniss Rakels sidelined with injury, Stam made three changes from the side that won 2-1 at Barnsley with 10 men a week ago.

Fit-again Joey van den Berg, Callum Harriott and Jordan Obita all returned to the starting line-up, while Dominic Samuel was named among the substitutes.

Huddersfield, meanwhile, were unchanged from the side that defeated QPR 2-1 a week earlier.

The visitors created the first opening in the second minute when Tommy Smith tested Ali Al Habsi from outside the area.

With Reading still settling in, the visitors were guilty of making too many passes in the 12th minute as Elias Kachunga's final ball was cut out by Paul McShane.

Stam's men were looking comfortable on the ball, but they struggled to create any clear-cut openings.

Yet the game changed complexion in the 26th minute when van la Parra talked his way to a red card.

The Terriers winger had been booked four minutes earlier for a heavy challenge on Obita when he collided with van den Berg near the touchline.

Linington awarded a free kick to Huddersfield, but van la Parra said something to the official who then produced a second yellow and a red.

Reading, having been down to 10 men themselves in their previous two games, winning both 2-1, now had a numerical advantage.

And they almost made it count on the half-hour when John Swift smacked a sensational shot from 30 yards against the post, with David Ward beaten.

By that stage Wagner had already sacrificed lively Chelsea loanee Kasey Palmer for Harry Bunn in a bid to shore up his midfield.

However, Reading began to press for an opener and it almost came from skipper McShane, whose effort from long range whistled inches wide.

But the deadlock was finally broken four minutes before the interval when Beerens' deflected shot wrongfooted Ward following superb work by Harriott down the right.

Royals, though, were fortunate not to concede an equaliser two minutes later when Terriers captain Mark Hudson headed just over from an Aaron Mooy corner.

Stam made a change at the break and replaced Obita, who was on a yellow, with Tennai Watson, with Chris Gunter shifting across to left back.

But Gunter was lucky to escape with just a yellow when he hacked down Nahki Wells just inside the Reading half in the 56th minute.

There was nothing but grass between Wells and the Reading goal and Gunter appeared to be last man back.

But the Wales international looked as though he made contact with the ball and Linington only booked him, much to Huddersfield's frustration.

It appeared to lift the Terriers who enjoyed a good spell of possession as Reading's defence came under pressure.

But they survived and went close to grabbing a second when Yann Kermorgant's fierce drive flew just wide before substitute Stephen Quinn forced an excellent save from Ward after linking up with Harriott.

Yet even then the Terriers kept coming as a succession of crosses and corners flashed across the Reading box.

In a last throw of the dice, David Wagner made a double change with nine minutes to go and threw on Michael Hefele and Martin Craine.

With nothing much to lose, Huddersfield piled bodies forward and threatened to ruin the Royals party when Wells blazed an effort high and wide when he should have hit the target.

Then as full time approached, Smith drilled the ball across Reading's six-yard box but no-one was there to tap it in.

And Huddersfield had one more chance in injury time, but Michael Hefele headed wide from Mooy's inviting cross.

When Linington blew his whistle for full-time, Reading fans breathed a sigh of relief after a nervy victory that keeps their momentum going ahead of Tuesday's trip to Brentford.

Reading: Al-Habsi, Gunter, Moore, McShane, Obita (Watson 46), Van den Berg (Evans 53), Williams, Swift (Quinn 70), Harriott, Beerens, Kermorgant. Subs not used: Jaakkola, Mendes, Samuel, Gravenberch. Booked: Obita 35, Gunter 56.

Huddersfield: Ward, Smith, Lowe (Craine 81), Schindler, Hudson, Hogg, Mooy, Kachunga, Palmer (Bunn 28, (Hefele 81)), Van La Parra, Wells. Subs not used: Whitehead, Scannell, Payne, Coleman. Booked: Van La Parra 22, 26), Lowe 45, Hudson 59, Kachunga 66. Red card: Van La Parra 26.

Referee: James Linington.

Attendance: 17,030 (Huddersfield 1,349).