Last updated on .From the section Championship

John Swift's goal was his third in three and fifth in 20 league games this season

John Swift's third goal in three games helped resurgent Reading see off high-flying Fulham to earn a fourth consecutive Championship win.

Swift found the corner with a low strike from Tyler Blackett's cross to put the Royals ahead against the run of play early on.

Charlie Adam went close to adding a second with a brilliant attempt from the halfway line but the veteran midfielder did find the net soon after the break with a simple close-range finish.

Substitute Ivan Cavaleiro's classy curled effort rewarded strong home pressure and set up a thrilling final 30 minutes, but Fulham, who drop to fifth, could not find the leveller in a frenetic finish.

Cavaleiro struck just four minutes after coming on and he hit the post late on and also set up a great chance for Aleksandar Mitrovic in injury time, but the striker was denied by a combination of keeper Rafael Cabral and the woodwork as Reading clung on to extend their unbeaten run to six games.

The visitors, who are now just five points adrift of the top six, also had to withstand strong early pressure.

Mitrovic had a header blocked and Anthony Knockaert shot over before Mitrovic and Bobby Decordova-Reid forced good saves from Rafael Cabral, with Decordova-Reid then hitting the post in the same breathless passage of play.

But Reading's first meaningful attack saw Swift strike the opener on 14 minutes, to follow up his outrageous winner against QPR and the first goal in the 2-0 success away against Preston last time out.

Lucas Joao then sent a header just wide as the visitors pressed for a second, which came three minutes after the restart when Ovie Ejaria weaved into a crossing position on then left and slid the ball to Adam who crashed the ball home from six yards with his left foot.

The lively Ejaria then set up a great chance for Joao, who prodded wide and that miss looked costly when Cavaleiro fired in the first goal Reading had conceded in five games to make it 2-1.

Fulham completely dominated possession thereafter and had chances to level, notably when Cavaleiro hit the post with a low 18-yard shot and Aboubakar Kamara fired over on the follow-up before Rafael's fine injury-time save ensured an away victory.

Fulham manager Scott Parker:

"I've stood in this position many a time with the same feeling, scratching your head to think how you're one down after the first time they enter our box.

"They score a goal, we put them under immense pressure and at both ends of the pitch again today we just weren't good enough.

"I think, ultimately, you need something more sometimes than flamboyant play, nice control of a football match, possession, chances, you need something more.

"If you want to be 14th, if you want to be 10th in this division, you go along the way and you win two, lose a couple. Win three, lose one.

"If you want to be successful in this division, or you want to be a successful team and a successful football club, there's something you can't measure and it comes from within."

Reading manager Mark Bowen:

"It's a difficult place to come. We knew the way the game was going to pan out, of being under a lot of pressure, which we were.

"Fulham are a very, very good side but we took our goals very well and then showed enormous character, which we've certainly been doing since I walked in the door.

"I'm actually disappointed we conceded a goal after the run we've been on (four consecutive clean sheets), but we're in a good place now in terms of the confidence of the group and the understanding that we've got with each other and how we want to go about our business."