Jamie Scowcroft scored a priceless late winner to earn Leicester a place in the fifth round of the FA Cup at the expense of 10-man Reading.

Nicky Forster gave the Royals the perfect start with an early opener but after dominating for long spells without adding to their advantage, the hosts were pegged back by Gareth Williams.

Ricky Newman became the first Reading player to be sent off this season when he picked up two yellow cards in the second half and Leicester took advantage in the closing stages. But they had to wait until injury-time before Scowcroft nodded home Jordan Stewart's excellent cross from the left.

Reading's Les Ferdinand returned to face his former club after recovering from a thigh injury and he caused the Leicester defence problems in the opening stages. His clever flick-on set strike partner Forster free but he could not get behind the Foxes' rearguard and the attack broke down.

Reading's front two looked lively from the start and Forster fired them ahead in the 10th minute, finishing off a flowing move as the hosts began to take control and string the passes together.

Skipper Graeme Murty made an excellent run into the Leicester half, played a one-two with Ferdinand before releasing Forster who smashed a low shot past goalkeeper Ian Walker.

Reading were enjoying the bulk of the possession but were lacking the killer touch in front of goal and Ferdinand wasted a golden opportunity to get one over his former employers with just over 20 minutes on the clock. Glen Little and Forster combined to set up the chance at the back post but Ferdinand managed to miss from a yard when it looked easier to score.

The Royals were made to pay with just over half an hour gone when Williams levelled with his side's first real attack. David Connolly, who turned down a move to the Madejski Stadium when he signed for West Ham at the start of last season, beat the offside trap and played in Williams who scored at the second attempt after keeper Marcus Hahnemann saved his first shot.

The goal stung the visitors into life and they enjoyed their best spell at the end of the half with Connolly being denied by Hahnemann after racing through on goal.

Reading started the second half in determined fashion and Nicky Shorey was unlucky to see his deflected free-kick drift wide of the upright before his cross was nodded over by Ivar Ingimarsson.

Connolly continued to look like the biggest threat for the Foxes and Hahnemann had to be on his toes to keep out his 57th-minute volley before Joey Gudjonsson fired straight at the American shot-stopper.

The Royals' cause was not helped when Newman received a second yellow card with just under quarter of an hour to go for a foul on Gudjonsson having already been booked for a challenge on Williams.

Hahnemann again came to his side's rescue as Leicester substitute Mark de Vries rounded him only for the keeper to get in a vital hand as the visitors upped the pace in search of the winner.

Neither manager would have wanted a replay with the Championship campaign reaching a crucial stage and Scowcroft's late intervention ensured his boss Craig Levein went home the happier.

Teams

Reading Hahnemann, Murty, Shorey, Sonko, Ingimarsson, Little, Harper, Newman, Hughes, Ferdinand (Owusu 69), Forster.

Subs Not Used: Young, Convey, Brooker, Morgan.

Sent Off: Newman (76).

Booked: Newman.

Goals: Forster 10.

Leicester Walker, Maybury, Stewart, Dabizas, Heath, Gillespie (Dublin 89), Gudjonsson (Nalis 85), Williams, Tiatto, Scowcroft, Connolly (de Vries 79).

Subs Not Used: Hirschfeld, Makin.

Booked: Gudjonsson, Heath.

Goals: Williams 32, Scowcroft 90.

Att: 14,825

Ref: A D'Urso (Essex).