Reading 1-0 Huddersfield Town

Roy Beerens (centre) netted his first league goal for Reading

Ten-man Huddersfield Town slipped off the top of the Championship table after suffering defeat at Reading.

The Terriers were on the back foot after winger Rajiv van La Parra was sent off before the half-hour mark for two bookable offences.

After John Swift hit the post, the Royals went ahead just before the break through Roy Beerens' deflected shot.

Nahki Wells nearly grabbed an equaliser late on as the visitors fell to their second league loss of the season.

• Saturday's EFL action as it happened

David Wagner's side drop to second in the table after Norwich City beat Burton 3-1 and climbed above them.

Reading, meanwhile, are unbeaten in six Championship games and are now two points behind Huddersfield in fourth.

Van La Parra's dismissal proved the turning point as the Dutchman picked up his first caution for a late challenge on Jordan Obita and then received a second yellow from referee James Linington for dissent three minutes later.

The hosts came close to a second after the break when Stephen Quinn's drilled effort was parried away by Terriers keeper Danny Ward but Huddersfield rallied in the closing stages in search of a point.

However, Michael Hefele and Elias Kachunga failed to take advantage of headed chances as Wagner threw players forward.

Huddersfield pair Mark Hudson and Chris Lowe picked up their fifth bookings of the season and, along with van La Parra, will be suspended for Tuesday's match against Rotherham.

Reading manager Jaap Stam:

"It was a hard, very tough game. We knew it was going to be like that from the start. Huddersfield are a tough side as a unit, as a team and they also have some quality players.

"We pressed them high up the pitch. Sometimes we succeeded, sometimes we didn't. We can do a lot better than that.

"Before the red card, we should have moved the ball a lot quicker. We didn't do that very well. And it was always going to be difficult against 10 men."

Huddersfield head coach David Wagner:

"We don't have to use too many words about this situation. Rajiv knows that this was a mistake. He knows that this was not correct.

"The referee was right in this decision. Rajiv has to react in a different way in this moment.

"I was disappointed about the result but proud about the performance. We were the better team in the second half.

"Even with one man less, we were still able to try for the equaliser or even win the game."

REACTION: Huddersfield head coach David Wagner speaks to BBC Radio Leeds