Reading 1-0 Bristol City
Mark Perrow reports from Madejski Stadium

City were beaten by a single goal despite a gutsy showing in Berkshire that included two second-half penalty saves from David James.

The game's turning point arrived 11 minutes after half-time, when Louis Carey was dismissed for a foul on Jason Roberts in the box.

Debutant Roberts duly saw his spot-kick saved by James, but was first on hand to convert the rebound.

James pulled off an even more impressive stop from Jobi McAnuff at the death, but both saves proved in vein for City, who hit the woodwork through Albert Adomah while one down.

Derek McInnes made one change in personnel from last weekend's winning formula against Doncaster Rovers, and three in a tactical sense.

The 4-5-1 formation remained, with Adomah and Yannick Bolasie supporting lone front man Chris Wood from wide areas, but Ryan McGivern returned to the side in place of Neil Kilkenny.

Kilkenny dropped to the bench, McGivern went to left-back, Richard Foster switched to right-back and Cole Skuse filled the midfield void.

Reading included new signing Roberts in their starting line-up, formerly of Bristol Rovers but also with City links after a brief loan spell at Ashton Gate in 1998.

McInnes' visitors started well. Chris Wood, fresh from scoring his first City goal against Doncaster, might have done better from McGivern's cross but still forced Adam Federici to tip his downward header over the bar.

City doubled their shot on target count inside seven minutes from their last away trip, at Brighton, when Stephen Pearson's low drive had to be turned aside by Federici.

It was a lively start at the Madejski. At the other end, James had to be alert to deny Michail Antonio with his foot, before Alex Pearce and McAnuff both failed to work the former England goalkeeper in the air from threatening positions.

The hosts were beginning to exert a degree of control, and Noel Hunt was inches away from adding the required contact to force Antonio's right-wing cross on target from inside the six-yard box.

Albert Adomah then posed a timely reminder of City's goal threat, getting good purchase on an overhead kick Federici did well to reach.

Jason Roberts bundles in the decisive goal for Reading

McGivern then provided another attacking surge down the left flank and another inviting cross, only for Pearson to miss his kick completely 12 yards out.

After a lull in goalmouth action descended around the first-half's midpoint, things began to heat up again just before the interval.

Wood and Adomah were both off target from distance either side of a first chance of note for Roberts, who could only head wide from McAnuff's cross.

Hunt failed to endear himself to the travelling Red Army with a theatrical tumble in search of a penalty in stoppage time, but the game remained goalless.

There was still time for Jem Karacan to blaze a presentable opening over the bar after James flapped at a corner, but McInnes would have been content with his team's performance, even if City had ridden their luck at times.

Wood got his head on another left-wing cross soon after the break, this time from Bolasie, but again diverted the ball too close to Federici from a position of promise.

At the other end, Karacan headed straight at James, as the open nature of the contest showed no signs of subsiding since half-time.

James was called into more pressing action moments later to deny McAnuff after the tricky winger gained half a yard on Foster and fizzed a low drive goalwards, before Reading's early second half pressure was doubly rewarded.

First, Carey was dismissed for hauling down Roberts with the striker poised to shoot, before Roberts duly did the honours to put his new team in front, albeit only from the rebound after James had repelled his weak spot-kick.

Bolasie was the man sacrificed to allow James Wilson to take Carey's place at the heart of City's back four, while Skuse was handed the captain's armband.

A goal and a man to the good, Reading tails were up. Roberts came close to a second from Hunt's knockdown, but fired wide on the turn.

In a rare City raid since the obvious turning point, Adomah curled a shot against the angle of post and bar from Wood's lay-off. Somehow it stayed out.

The same combination came close to an equaliser again when Adomah's scuffed effort was deflected on target by Wood, but the striker's intervention just lacked sufficient direction to wrongfoot Federici.

Nicky Maynard and Kilkenny replaced McGivern and Kalifa Cisse, who was warmly applauded off by the home fans late on, but it proved too little too late for City, who kept going admirably after falling behind.

James' last-minute penalty save - his second of the game - was deserving of a point in itself, but ultimately proved academic.

Substitute Tomasz Cywka tumbled just inside the box under pressure from Pearson, but this time when James pushed out McAnuff's spot-kick, no one was on hand to convert on the rebound.