Toothless Reading were once again made to pay for some wasteful finishing as Lewis McGugan's second-half strike gave Nottingham Forest a much-needed win at the Madejski Stadium.

Steve Coppell's promotion-hopefuls dominated the game but were made to pay for a failure to score in their fourth consecutive game when McGugan scored the only goal of the game after 61 minutes.

A victory would have lifted the Royals above second-placed Birmingham, but Jimmy Kebe, Brynjar Gunnarsson, Stephen Hunt and Kevin Doyle all spurned opportunities to put them in front in the first half.

Billy Davies' side were much improved after the break and got their reward to end a run of three consecutive defeats and move three points clear of third-bottom Southampton.

Royals boss Steve Coppell reacted to his side's 2-0 defeat by Bristol City last time out by making three changes to his starting line-up.

Gunnarsson and Marek Matejovsky were preferred to James Harper and Kalifa Cisse in midfield, while Noel Hunt replaced Leroy Lita in attack.

Guy Moussi returned to the Forest midfield following a four-month absence, with skipper James Perch suspended.

Despite their goal drought in recent weeks Reading were not short of confidence in the opening exchanges.

Kebe volleyed wide from 12 yards less than two minutes in and Gunnarsson headed over the crossbar from close range.

Paul Anderson had Forest's first sight of goal but flashed a right-foot shot wide of Adam Federici's right-hand post.

Reading continued to ask questions of the Forest defence and Stephen Hunt's corner was volleyed over the bar by leading scorer Doyle after 15 minutes.

Forest then suffered a major blow on the half-hour mark when striker Nathan Tyson's afternoon ended prematurely due to injury.

Stephen Hunt then tried his luck from the edge of the penalty area but failed to test Paul Smith in the Forest goal.

The visitors' leading scorer Robert Earnshaw had an opportunity to give Forest the lead against the run of play seven minutes before the break, but fired over the bar.

Coppell's side continued to dominate after the break but McGugan almost caught them out when the ball sat up for him 12 yards from goal only for the midfielder to volley over the bar.

And Forest came close once again after 57 minutes when Federici tipped Chris Cohen's measured strike around the post.

But Reading did not heed the warning signs and were behind three minutes later.

McGugan drove into the box and foxed Michael Duberry before drilling a clinical left-foot finish into the bottom-right corner of Federici's net.

Reading were dominating possession but struggled to break down a determined Forest defence as the visitors held out for three precious points in their bid to avoid an immediate return to League One.

Teams:

Reading Federici, Rosenior, Duberry, Pearce,Armstrong (Lita 76), Kebe (Tabb 60), Matejovsky,Gunnarsson (Cisse 77), Stephen Hunt, Doyle, Noel Hunt.

Subs Not Used: Hahnemann, Harper.

Booked: Pearce.

Nottm Forest Smith, Wilson, Chambers, Morgan, Lynch,McGugan (Thornhill 82), Moussi, Cohen, Anderson,Tyson (McCleary 30), Earnshaw (Breckin 86).

Subs Not Used: Gamble, Heath.

Booked: Earnshaw, Morgan.

Goals: McGugan 61.

Att: 21,196

Ref: Neil Swarbrick (Lancashire).