Reading earned a third successive League One win- for the first time under Ruben Selles- with a narrow 1-0 victory over 10-man Bristol Rovers.

Sam Smith scored the winner with 25 minutes remaining after Shaq Forde had seen red for two bookable offences in what proved a match filled with controversy.

Scoring within 60 seconds in Tuesday’s win over Exeter City, Reading tried to repeat the trick this time around against Rovers as Kelvin Ehibhatiomhan was given the ball in the box, only for the forward to fly an effort over the bar. A nip-and-tuck tie with both sides looking to play around the opposition box, it was Reading who carved open the early chances.

Harvey Knibbs forced Josh Griffiths into a good save with a powerful strike and Ehibhatiomhan had another curled effort pushed away by the keeper in a promising opening half-hour. The visitors had their best chance shortly after as Ruel Sotiriou was fed through into the box but the former Leyton Orient forward could only fire narrowly wide of Joel Pereira’s far post. Lewis Wing and Ben Elliott linked up well on the edge of Rovers’ penalty box but the skipper could only fire down the throat of Griffiths.

Looking like petering out to the break, the Royals really should have taken the lead before the break. Firstly, Elliott spun his marker and drove at goal before feeding Sam Smith. The forward tucked the ball into the net, sending the fans into a loud roar, however the linesman very quickly raised his offside flag to end celebrations early.

However, there were no officials to spare the blushes of Knibbs moments later as the midfielder won the ball deep in the Gas’ half and was baring down on goal in a two-versus-one situation. Ehibhatiomhan had kept up with Knibbs and was staring down an open goal, but the fan favourite opted to take the effort on himself and saw Griffiths smother his strike out for a corner from a situation where it looked impossible for Reading not to take a lead.

Neither side had managed to take much of an advantage early in the half, with Ehibhatiomhan’s blocked shot the only half-chance, but the entire flow of the game changed 10 minutes in as Forde’s petulant kick of the ball saw him shown a second yellow card and given his marching orders.

From that moment on, expectations levels among the 12,800-strong crowd meant Reading had to win. Taking charge of the flow of the game and dictating the tempo, it had an air of when and not if the Royals would take the lead. Inevitably, it came from the boot of Smith. Elliott glided through the midfield and sent a perfectly weighted ball beyond the Rovers defence for the forward to run onto. Without taking a touch, the striker prodded past Griffiths to make it three goals in three matches against the Pirates.

Rovers, already aggrieved at the red card, felt Tyler Bindon should have walked with a collision at head height while the Gas piled on the pressure looking for an equaliser in the final 10 minutes.

Clinton Mola, who played 35 times for Reading last season, forced Joel Pereira into a late save as he swivelled in the box and took aim for the bottom corner. The left-back had another chance in stoppage time which was tipped over and from the resulting corner Pereira was needed to block on the line as the Gas pushed hard in the final sixty seconds. 

Now up into the play-off places and into the thick of a loaded fixture schedule, Reading travel to Stockport County on Tuesday.