Reading 1-0 Leeds United

Yann Kermorgant's goal was his 11th of the season in the Championship

Reading strengthened their position in the Championship play-off spots as they ended Leeds' seven-game unbeaten run to leapfrog them into fourth in the table.

Yann Kermorgant's crisp first-half finish was enough to settle a game that the Royals could have won by more.

Roy Beerens and Garath McCleary both went close to extending the hosts' deserved lead before half-time.

Leeds had the better of the second half but failed to really test keeper Ali Al Habsi, and slipped to fifth.

Victory saw Reading secure maximum points from key, back-to-back games against sides around them in the table, having won 2-0 at fellow play-off-hopefuls Sheffield Wednesday last time out.

With Wednesday having slipped out of the top six earlier on Saturday with a 1-1 draw at Barnsley, Reading's win opened up a seven-point cushion between themselves and the now-seventh-placed Owls.

Jaap Stam's side could have gone in further ahead at the break after Kermorgant had powerfully fired past Rob Green, but Beerens volleyed over and McCleary was denied by a good Green save when one-on-one.

Leeds, who had not lost since 11 February and beat the Royals 2-0 in December's reverse fixture, improved after half-time but did not create enough in front of goal, despite a spirited effort.

The visitors might have levelled before the break, but Pablo Hernandez could not quite connect at the far post with a terrific Alfonso Pedraza cross.

Against the run of play, it was actually the Royals who had the best chance of the second half but an unmarked Beerens mis-kicked his effort when closed down by Green inside the area.

Reading manager Jaap Stam told BBC Radio Berkshire:

"We're very happy with the performance, especially in how we played in the first half not just dominating possession, but in the chances we created.

"We didn't finish them off in the first half, but we knew they would have to change their game after the break.

"At certain times in the second half, we created a couple of good chances too, but we knew towards the end of the game they would be playing the long balls into the area to try and get that goal.

"But we've seen it before, the boys worked hard to protect that lead and it's a big compliment to how they played. But for me, it's a bit stressful."

Leeds United manager Garry Monk told BBC Radio Leeds:

"First half we made too many mistakes, uncharacteristically. We felt really comfortable defending against them.

"But then we made four or five mistakes in that first half which really gave them their opportunities. Unfortunately, they took one of them off a mistake from us.

"We made it into a game in the second half where we controlled it a bit more and put pressure on them and I'm happy with that performance.

"Albeit, a little bit more luck and a little bit more guile and we could have got that equaliser and nobody could have begrudged us that."