Tommy Smith's goal in first-half injury time sealed an undeserved win for Derby at the Madejski Stadium as Reading's unbeaten home record went up in smoke.

Smith latched on to a Grzegorz Rasiak flick and rounded Reading goalkeeper Marcus Hahnemann before coolly slotting home for the only goal of a game dominated by the home side.

The Royals had numerous chances to secure the points in either half but lacked a cutting edge as the visitors held on for their third successive away win.

Steve Coppell's decision to stick with the side that disappointingly drew with Gillingham looked set to pay dividends in a frantic first 15 minutes, during which the hosts were totally on top.

A well-organised Reading midfield forced the Rams on to the back foot from the off, with the physicality of front men Lloyd Owusu and Nicky Forster a constant threat.

The first chance fell to Owusu after 10 minutes. A free-kick from the right edge of the area by Glenn Little was poorly dealt with by the Derby defence but Owusu was unable to convert when the ball fell to him only six yards out.

The Slough-born striker forced another chance four minutes later but planted a header wide from Little's curling cross.

Forster broke through after 21 minutes only to be foiled by the advancing Derby goalkeeper Lee Camp before James Harper's flashing cross moments later agonisingly evaded the on-rushing Owusu.

A Nicky Shorey free-kick tested Camp on the half-hour before the impressive Little drove a shot just over the bar as the hosts continued to dominate.

Yet for all the hosts' possession, it was Derby who came closest to breaking through after 40 minutes. After making space 25 yards out, Smith drilled a shot against the post with Hahnemann well beaten.

Derby improved slightly as the half drew on but Smith's late opener was still scarcely deserved as Burley's relieved face at the interval tended to suggest.

Buoyed by their fortunate first-half exploits, Derby started the second period with distinctly more urgency.

Huddlestone, revelling in his more advanced role, burst forward in the 50th minute and let fly with a 20-yard piledriver that Hahnemann did well to hold.

Andy Hughes came close for Reading on 61 minutes with a close-range effort that was scrambled wide by Jeff Kenna before Forster wasted the Royals' best chance of the match on 66.

A cross from the left by Shorey was nodded down by Little and dropped to Forster only six yards out.

But instead of attacking the ball on the full, the striker allowed the ball to bounce before attempting an acrobatic shot on the turn that did little more than balloon over the bar.

Further pressure followed with Forster and Little creating half-chances but with Rams skipper Michael Johnson rock-solid at the heart of the visitors' backline, an archetypal 'backs to the wall' win began to look a real possibility.

And so it proved with Smith's goal ultimately proving decisive as the Rams sealed their first points away at Reading for over 20 years.

Teams:

Reading Hahnemann, Murty, Shorey, Sonko, Ingimarsson, Little, Sidwell, Harper, Hughes (Morgan 73), Owusu, Forster.

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

Booked: Harper.

Derby Camp, Kenna, Jackson, Mills, Johnson, Bisgaard (Bolder 74), Huddlestone, Idiakez, Reich, Rasiak, Smith (Tudgay 90).

Subs Not Used: Grant, Taylor, Boertien.

Booked: Johnson, Idiakez.

Goals: Smith 45.

Att: 15,491

Ref: B Curson (Leicestershire).