Reading continued their shocking away form with a last-minute 2-1 defeat at Leyton Orient.

Ruben Selles made three changes from Tuesday’s 3-1 defeat to Northampton Town on Tuesday and although it was better, a late mistake proved costly.

Tyler Bindon equalised in the first half after Jordan Brown had put the O’s ahead, in an emotional day following the tragic passing of supporter Derek Reynolds during midweek’s match against Lincoln City.

Before the game had even kicked off the Royals had to adapt, with Sam Hutchinson pulling up in the warm-up and Charlie Savage coming in from the bench to replace him from the start. As has been the theme away from home for the past year, it was the hosts who started faster and more threatening. Brown tested the waters early on, his shot deflecting off Harlee Dean and wrongfooting David Button before spinning out for a corner. Lewis Wing leapt into action to clear a shot off the line and Joe Pigott saw his header come off the crossbar with their wingers terrorising the Reading defence.

It was no surprise when the O’s went ahead on the hour mark, Brown firing a shot into the back of the net after it was cleared to the edge of the box. It seemingly took falling behind the fire the Royals up, with the team much more threatening after that. Wing tried his luck, forcing Sol Brynn into his first save of the game from just inside the box. Kelvin Ehibhatiomhan took the defence on a merry dance and fed Matt Carson out wide. The teenager threw a ball into the box and found fellow youngster Ballard. The Southampton loanee saw his header clip the post but Bindon was there on the follow-up, his shot only trickling over the line and sending the 1,200 travelling supporters’ potty. The turnaround should have been completed shortly after as Ballard turned his marker and fed Harvey Knibbs through one-versus-one with the keeper. Barring down on goal, his side-footed finish could only find the hands of Brynn as a real chance went begging.

There was very little in the second half, but the hosts shaded it. Ehibhatiomhan saw a chance pass him by just minutes into the half on the counter attack, opting not to feed Ballard or Knibbs before being crowded out on the edge of the box. Orient came closest as Sotiriou smacked Button’s near post from a whipped-in cross, while Ed Turns was denied at the back post from Button after a corner was recycled. Attempting the see the game out, former outcasts Holmes and Guinness-Walker were brought into the fold. Reading are in a rut both on and off the field, and there was a sting in the tail to come as Moncur capitalised on Button’s dropped corner to slam home and give the hosts a stoppage-time winner. Ben Elliott had a volley flash over the bar deep into stoppage time, but it was as good as it got during a tame second period for the out-of-luck Royals.

Now 18 without win on the road, and with seven defeats from the first 11 in League One, the Royals are firmly rooted in the third-tier relegation zone. Rivals Swindon Town visit Berkshire on Tuesday in the latest EFL Trophy group match.