Reading 0-2 Wolverhampton Wanderers

Ivan Cavaleiro scored Wolves' first goal in front of almost 4,000 travelling supporters

Wolves returned to the top of the Championship with victory at Reading despite late pressure from the hosts.

Goals from Ivan Cavaleiro and Matt Doherty helped restore Wolves' two-point lead at the top after Sheffield United had temporarily replaced them at the summit on Friday.

Cavaleiro rounded Vito Mannone for the visitors' opener in the first half.

John Ruddy made several saves to deny Reading late on before full-back Doherty fired in from inside the box.

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Ruddy had already pushed an early long-range effort from John Swift onto the post before denying Mo Barrow, Leandro Bacuna and Sone Aluko as the Royals pressed.

Having also survived several goalmouth scrambles, Wolves' first victory at the Madejski Stadium since 2005 was wrapped up by Doherty's late second.

Reading were boosted by last season's top scorer Yann Kermorgant making his first start of the campaign, but Wolves' stout defending and clinical finishing prevented them from notching a third successive league win.

Wolves have won 12 of their 17 league matches so far this term, while Reading's eighth defeat of 2017-18 leaves last season's play-off finalists five points above the relegation zone.

Reading manager Jaap Stam:

"Did we deserve more from the game? We should have got at least a draw. We started the game very well and could maybe have scored that first goal, but we didn't do it.

"Then, after a while, you knew that Wolves were going to be taking part in this game as well and go forward. They have got a lot of ability and quality in their team. Everybody knows that and we knew that.

"In the second half, we totally dominated the game. We created opportunity on opportunity but didn't score."

Wolves head coach Nuno Espirito Santo:

"We know that we played a good team who caused us a lot of problems. We had to find solutions against them and that meant we had to defend well, which we did.

"When you see a player throwing his body in front of the ball, then you know that you can count on your players. We played well in the first half but, after that, we knew that Reading would come forward at us.

"We had to recognise that and work hard, but we still had moments to try to get a second goal. It would have been nicer if it had come before the 88th minute, but we are happy."