Huddersfield Town 4-0 Reading: In-form Terriers condemn Royals to third straight defeat
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Huddersfield winger Sorba Thomas took his assists tally to five for the season
Sorba Thomas inspired Huddersfield to a third straight Championship win as Reading's troubled start to the season continued.
The 22-year-old winger whipped in a cross for Lewis O'Brien to sidefoot the Terriers ahead and then sent an inswinging free-kick into the box for Matty Pearson to poke home the second.
Thomas capped a fine display with a solo run and low shot across Royals goalkeeper Rafael Cabral which found the bottom corner.
Reading's miserable afternoon was confirmed when Josh Koroma crossed for Danny Ward who rounded Cabral and tapped in a fourth.
The Royals were the Championship pacesetters at the start of last season, but boss Veljko Paunovic is enduring a much tougher second season in charge, with his side losing four of their opening five league matches and shipping 16 goals in the process.
They named new signing Alen Halilovic on the bench and gave striker Junior Hoilett a first start of the season, but offered little and almost fell behind when Norwich loanee Danel Sinani - on his first start for Town - smacked a free-kick against the post with Rafael well beaten.
And after falling behind to O'Brien's clinical finish shortly before half-time they collapsed completely after the break as Thomas ran riot.
Huddersfield's biggest win of the season moved them up to fourth, while Reading dropped to 21st after a third straight defeat.
Huddersfield head coach Carlos Corberan told BBC Radio Leeds:
"The team did a very serious game today with some very good moments in attack, some good moments in defence, and good moments in counter-attacks and set-pieces, too, for a very positive result.
"We knew today to get a third win in the league was tough because so far only two teams had done this.
"For us it was one target to try to achieve this number of wins in a row because it allows the team to develop the level of confidence, the level of performance, the level of attack.
"No we need to use this break to recover and to continue improving the team because we know how important this is to compete in the next games."
Reading boss Veljko Paunovic:
"I think it is a game to forget as soon as possible. We can't ignore how we feel but we have to use this defeat as a catalyst to bring back the spirit and the mojo we have lost so far.
"I also think we have to acknowledge the team is incomplete and has been for the whole of pre-season.
"We all should have done better today, especially in the second half. In the first half everyone did their best and we had urgency to defend.
"The second-half performance wasn't good and we all feel responsible about it. We need to use this hard feeling as a catalyst to fix things."