Reading 1-1 Hull: Championship strugglers share the points at the Madjeski Stadium

Tom Holmes (on the floor) produced a brilliant finish to put Reading in front against Hull

Tom Holmes opened his Reading account with a spectacular bicycle kick but it was not enough to secure victory against fellow strugglers Hull.

The Royals defender put his side ahead through an eye-catching strike in first-half injury time - the first goal of his senior career.

But Tigers forward Mallik Wilks levelled 10 minutes after the restart and the home side could not find a winner, although Andy Carroll and Femi Azeez went close.

The point lifts Reading up a place to 20th, five points clear of the bottom three, while Hull remain 19th.

Hull, who went into the game on the back of four straight victories, started confidently and Wilks sent two opportunities sailing over the bar, as well as having an early goal ruled out for offside.

At the other end, the Tigers were dependent on a string of fine saves from goalkeeper Nathan Baxter to keep the game scoreless, with John Swift, Tom Dele-Bashiru and Danny Drinkwater all denied.

But Reading broke the deadlock in the second minute of added time when Josh Laurent headed back a corner for Holmes and the defender launched a stunning overhead kick that flashed beyond Baxter.

There was an element of fortune about Hull's equaliser, with the ball rebounding off a back-tracking defender and dropping for Wilks, whose drive from 20 yards squeezed through the diving Luke Southwood.

Reading pressed hard for a second goal, with Carroll rifling a half-volley over the bar after substitute Dejan Tetek set him up and Baxter saving another attempt from Dele-Bashiru.

Carroll was off target again as the visitors clung on for a draw, with Azeez's effort blocked in a late penalty-area scramble.

Reading manager Veljko Paunovic:

"I'm proud of the continued effort and the character. The whole team performed well and I'm happy with the way we played with the ball.

"We created so many opportunities today that we could have won the game. Unfortunately those opportunities that we created, we didn't score.

"But we played a very solid game, very attacking and pushed our opponents to the limit.

"I'm very happy for Tom (Holmes), it's a huge boost for his confidence and everything he's doing for the team.

Hull manager Grant McCann told BBC Radio Humberside:

"In one v one situations Nathan (Baxter)'s really good and he showed his calmness today, obviously with that save from Swift.

"But apart from that and obviously the goal they scored on the stroke of half-time, I thought we could have been out of sight with the chances we had in the final third.

"I said to the boys 'it's the first time in four games we've been 1-0 down - can we show people what we're about in the second half?'

"We did that with a great strike from Mallik and then we had to show real grit and determination, particularly when they're raining balls in on top of Andy Carroll and it is difficult because he's strong."