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Joseph Mendes' only previous Reading goals were for their Under-21 side in the EFL Trophy

Joseph Mendes scored early in each half as Reading climbed back up to fourth in the Championship by ending Aston Villa's five-match unbeaten run.

The Frenchman fired home his first after being played in by Lewis Grabban, but James Chester soon headed home Conor Hourihane's corner to equalise.

Mendes squandered an easy chance, but made no mistake after the break as he swept home his second of the game.

Grabban sealed the win from the spot after Leandro Bacuna fouled Liam Kelly.

The victory was Reading's first in a league game at Villa Park and put them just one point behind third-placed Huddersfield, but perhaps more importantly six points clear of Fulham in seventh, with just four games remaining.

It was a tremendous turnaround by Jaap Stam's side after a 7-1 defeat by Norwich in their previous game, and the Dutchman left top scorer Yann Kermorgant on the bench as one of four changes.

Villa had won their five previous home games without conceding a goal, but that record was soon ended as Mendes marked his first league start by firing past Sam Johnstone.

Reading keeper Ali Al-Habsi made a superb save from Mile Jedinak, only to let himself down from the resulting corner by failing to get anywhere near the ball as Chester levelled.

Johnstone twice denied Grabban before the interval but he could do nothing about Reading's second just a minute after the restart, as the forward produced a perfect ball for Mendes to restore their lead.

Sub Scott Hogan wasted Villa's best chance of the second half, and they remain 12th in the table after Grabban converted the penalty to make the points safe.

Aston Villa boss Steve Bruce: "I don't like getting beaten and I don't like getting beaten by sloppiness. I thought that was a thing of the past, a performance like that.

"I couldn't fault their effort but it was how they handled making a mistake, if you're going to play for a big club like this you've got to be able to handle that.

"We made more individual errors than we have done in the past three months. We have been punished and given really, really bad goals away."

Reading manager Jaap Stam: "I'm very happy with the character of my team throughout the whole season. Okay, sometimes we get defeats but we're not too worried about defeats.

"We're very confident in how the team can play. You can have an off day - look at PSG against Barcelona - but it's about what you do after.

"For Joseph it wasn't the easiest season because he came from France and had some injuries. He has worked hard in the last couple of months.

"As a player you can respond by talking in the press, by calling the manager certain names, but you can also respond by working hard in the game and scoring goals."