Bristol City 1-1 Reading: Royals earn first away point of 2023 at Robins
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Tommy Conway marked his return from injury by opening the scoring for Bristol City
Reading picked up their first point away from home this year as they came from a goal behind to draw 1-1 with Bristol City at Ashton Gate.
Tommy Conway marked his return from injury with his 10th goal of the campaign right before half-time to put the hosts ahead.
But against the run of play, substitute Lucas Joao drew Reading level midway through the second half with a header from a free-kick.
Nahki Wells twice had the ball in the net for City but saw both efforts ruled out for offside and Andy King's late header hit the woodwork as the hosts failed to convert their superior chances.
Results elsewhere at the bottom of the table mean Reading are now just seven points above the drop zone, having extended their winless run to six games.
The early pressure all came from City as Andi Weimann had a shot blocked on the line, while Wells got the ball in the net but saw it ruled out for offside.
But out of nothing the best chance of the opening 20 minutes fell to Reading as a long ball over the top found Yakou Meite alone in front of goal, but he couldn't connect with it as the opportunity went begging.
Conway, in his first outing since 8 January after a hamstring injury, finally found the breakthrough for the Robins seconds before half-time, side-footing George Tanner's low cross into the net.
Matty James had a shot from distance saved by Reading keeper Joe Lumley as the hosts created a host of second-half chances but failed to find the back of the net.
It proved costly as a rare attack earned Reading a free-kick which producer the equaliser. Andy Carroll nodded it back across goal into the path of Joao, who headed it past Max O'Leary.
Wells was caught by the offside trap for a second time late on, Anis Mehmeti fired a shot just wide and substitute King saw a header rattle the post as the Robins tried in vain to find a winner.
Bristol City manager Nigel Pearson told BBC Radio Bristol:
"It's a game we should win and I think we played very well actually, we created a lot of chances. They're a really big side and we knew that set-plays were going to be their main threat possibly.
"For the most part we did very well but the one occasion we didn't get it right in the second half, they scored from it.
"In all honesty, I think the way that we went about the game was very positive, I think we played at a really good tempo, some great aspects of our game, we created a lot of opportunities but we've just not put them to bed.
"That's where we've got to get better. We've got to be able to put teams like that to bed when we're on top. We've been on top for 90% of the game."
Reading manager Paul Ince told BBC Radio Berkshire:
"We could have nullified them first half and we had the best chance when we should have been 1-0 up, it was a glorious chance and you need to take those when they come along.
"I was pretty comfortable, the team talk was set and we don't get out, we let their wing-back come back inside and they get lucky. They give a pass and it gets a deflection from Naby Sary and then their shot is a deflection from Amadou [Mbengue] - just our luck, last minute of the half.
"It can demoralise you, it really, really can but not this group of players.
"They've got this togetherness and spirit that they'll go again irrespective of what the situation is. I always say to them 'as long as we can stay in the game, we'll always have a chance'."
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