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Yann Kermorgant cut inside and found the bottom corner past Keiren Westwood

Reading secured three crucial points in the race for the Championship play-off places as they held on for victory at top-six rivals Sheffield Wednesday.

Yann Kermorgant's clinical first-half finish put the visitors in front.

Reading's Ali Al Habsi produced several important saves, reacting well to deny Jordan Rhodes and Will Buckley.

The hosts threw keeper Keiren Westwood up for a late corner and were punished when Reading broke away and Adrian Popa tapped into an unguarded net.

The Royals move up to fourth, five points above sixth-placed Wednesday, who will feel they could have easily won the game but for Al Habsi's brilliance.

The Owls had chances to level before the break but Morgan Fox's low shot struck the post, Adam Reach missed the target from close range and Al Habsi instinctively turned away Rhodes' header.

After half-time, Al Habsi saved another Rhodes header before substitute Callum McMananam had an effort cleared off the line and the Royals keeper denied the winger twice to cap a man-of-the-match display.

Wednesday committed men forward in the closing stages, including their own keeper deep into stoppage time, but that enabled Popa to break and slot in a second goal that was harsh on Carlos Carvahal's side.

The result means seventh-placed Fulham could leapfrog the Owls, who have lost four of their past six games, and move into the play-off places when they host Wolverhampton Wanderers on Saturday.

Sheffield Wednesday head coach Carlos Carvalhal: "I think all of us will agree that we did everything to win the game. We gave the maximum and we deserved to win the game, in my opinion.

"My players played with a fantastic attitude and they created a lot of chances. The highlights will explain the story of the game very easily.

"It was a very hard week for me - probably one of the hardest for me in my career as a coach - because we missed some players.

"This is not over yet. We're still alive and we'll be focused in the last eight games to achieve the points which will achieve a good position."

Reading manager Jaap Stam: "It's been a fight and I'm very proud of my team. In these games it's going to be very tight, especially away from home and we knew it was going to be very hard.

"We also knew what we could do to make it hard for them. We scored a very good early goal and they gave us time to play. They had their chances as well, which is normal.

"Part of our game plan was to keep the ball and make them impatient. We succeeded in doing that. We defended, kept it very tight and didn't give them a lot of space to play.

"We're very realistic in what we can achieve. We're up there and we're going to give it a shot so hopefully we can stay up there."