Last updated on .From the section Championship

A goalmouth scramble saw Toni Leistner net the only goal for QPR at Reading

QPR edged past Reading in a game of few chances as Toni Leistner's scrambled second half goal separated the two sides.

Massimo Luongo had a low shot palmed behind by Royals goalkeeper Sam Walker and from the resultant corner Leistner profited when the hosts failed to clear.

Walker had earlier denied Nahki Wells with the best chance of the first half when he was played through on goal by Eberechi Eze.

Reading pushed for a leveller as late addition Yakou Meite struck a post with his shot inside the area but QPR held on to end a run of two successive defeats.

Meite was handed an unexpected start for Reading after leading scorer Jon Dadi Bodvarsson was forced to withdraw from the hosts' line-up after the warm-up.

But he was unable to offer much of a threat for the Royals, who were a touch fortunate to be level at half-time.

Jordan Cousins headed narrowly over the crossbar from Jake Bidwell's centre before Wells was denied by Walker's smart save.

Reading remain in 20th after a first defeat in three games, while QPR's fourth win of the campaign moves them up two places to 17th.

QPR boss Steve McClaren has won his last seven matches in all competitions against managers called Paul - Clement, Ince, Dickov (twice), Heckingbottom and Cook (twice).

Reading manager Paul Clement told BBC Radio Berkshire:

"It wasn't very good, it's a very disappointing evening.

"I thought the first half we didn't play well at all, I thought we looked leggy and I tried to make a few changes to freshen it up after Saturday's game.

"I have to take responsibility, I probably didn't get the line-up right from the start and we didn't play well tactically either.

"The spaces were too open and we gave them too many opportunities from set pieces. Maybe we could've got away with a draw, but I would still be making the same observation that we didn't play very well."