Nicky Forster's first goal for fourth months ensured Premiership hopefuls Reading avoided an FA Cup scare at Swansea.
Royals boss Steve Coppell saw his side outplayed for the first hour of an entertaining contest and then forced into extra-time by the plucky League Two outfit before Forster tapped home Ivar Ingimarsson's nod back to seal a fourth
round tie against either Leicester or Blackpool at the Madejski Stadium on January 29.
It was tough luck on the Welsh outfit, who supplied the most adventurous player on view in Adrian Forbes.
But with top scorer Lee Trundle largely subdued and Marcus Hahnemann producing a confident display in the visitors' goal, Reading were able to tiptoe their way
into the last 32 for the first time since 1998.
Having failed to score in their last four Coca-Cola Championship games and with strikers Dave Kitson and Les Ferdinand both sidelined through injury,
Coppell must have been concerned about his team's goal threat.
His fears were realised during a poor opening half in which his team were
lucky not to find themselves in arrears.
Danger man Forbes flashed a couple of shots wide as Swansea kept their higher
ranked visitors on the back foot, although it was Paul Connor who came closest
to breaking the deadlock with a looping header that Steve Sidwell nodded off the
line.
Reading's only decent opportunity of the opening period fell to Glen Little,
whose fierce 20-yard drive was heading in until Ijah Anderson booted it away.
The visitors roused themselves after the break and should have taken the lead
within two minutes of the re-start when Swansea 'keeper Willy Gueret dropped a
routine cross at the feet of Ingimarsson on the six-yard line.
Unfortunately for Reading, the big defender was unable to find the target with
his stabbed effort.
The introduction of Lloyd Owusu gave the visitors an extra attacking dimension
but the burly striker was guilty of a poor miss within five minutes of his
arrival when he drifted to the far post where Little dropped a fine cross onto
his head.
Instead of opting for power, Owusu went for accuracy, yet still nodded his
weak effort straight at Gueret.
Swansea might have snatched it at the end when Andy Robinson forced the best
save of the match from Hahnemann with a sweet right-footed volley the 'keeper
tipped wide at full stretch.
The value of the save was proved within four minutes of the extra half hour
when Ingimarsson nodded Graeme Murty's free-kick back into the danger zone where
Forster tapped home the winner.
Teams
Swansea Gueret, Ricketts, Austin, Monk, Iriekpen,
Forbes (Maylett 98), Gurney, Britton, Anderson (Robinson 76),
Connor, Trundle.
Subs Not Used: Murphy, Tate, Pritchard.
Booked: Forbes.
Reading Hahnemann, Murty, Shorey, Sonko, Ingimarsson, Sidwell,
Little (Brooker 110), Hughes, Harper, Forster,
Convey (Owusu 62).
Subs Not Used: Savage, Newman, Young.
Goals: Forster 95.
After Extra Time
Att: 7,354
Ref: C Penton (Sussex).
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