Millers hit by late misery... on-the-whistle report: Reading 2 Rotherham United 1

The Millers, who had led at one stage through Lee Peltier's first goal since Boxing Day 2013, were closing in on a draw that would have eased them a further point away from the drop zone.

But disaster struck in the 90th minute when Tyrese Fornah headed in a winner for the home team who hadn't won in their previous seven league outings.

The result left Matt Taylor's men in 20th spot but some of the sides below them play tomorrow and have a chance to make up ground.

Reading were quickest out of the blocks and Andy Yiadom wasn't far wide with a volley after eight minutes when a Tom Ince free-kick was cleared towards the edge of the box.

After weathering early pressure, the Millers worked their way into the contest and Tariq Fosu's neat touches and Conor Washington's pace were starting to trouble the Royals defence.

The former twice almost played in the latter with clever passes as the half-hour mark came and went with the game remaining goalless.

The Millers were cheered on by around 250 fans who had made the long midweek trip to Berkshire and were being given more to cheer than the home crowd.

Rotherham were enjoying a good spell and on 32 minutes Peltier was agonisingly close to making the breakthrough.

He got lovely contact on his volley as Hakeem Odoffin headed back Cohen Bramall's deep free-kick only for the ball to bounce off the crossbar and away to safety.

He didn't have to wait much longer to open his Millers account, however. Six minutes later, Conor Coventry sent in a free-kick from the right and the right-back did the rest with a well-placed header.

It was no more than the visitors deserved and they should have doubled their advantage in the dying seconds of the first period.

Quick feet from Fosu created the space for a low cross and Odoffin will wonder how he managed to put his close-range effort over the bar rather than under it.

The boos ringing out from Reading fans at half-time were a reflection on how much Rotherham had taken control in the 15 minutes leading up to the break.

Winger Chiedozie Ogbene paid the price for two poor performances and had been dropped to the bench as the Millers switched from 4-3-3 to a 4-1-3-2 formation.

There was a first start in the backline for January signing Bailey Wright while up front Washington was paired with Jordan Hugill.

The Millers began the second half on the front foot but were pegged back in the 52nd minute after Odoffin had needlessly charged in and upended Nesta Guinness-Walker.

Femi Azeed floated over the free-kick and Andy Carroll duly buried his header into the bottom corner of the net.

Rotherham responded well to the setback and continued to attack the Royals yet they would have fallen behind in the 62nd minute had it not been for a sharp save from Viktor Johansson when Guinness-Walker broke clear.

Soon afterwards, Washington went through on goal but delayed shooting for too long and had one attempt blocked before sending a second wide.

The game was now in the balance as both sides looked to push forward, with the Millers bringing on Ogbene and Wes Harding and reverting to 4-3-3.

Neither side threatened to score again until Fornah pounced so late on and suddenly the journey back to South Yorkshire looked even longer.

Reading (3-5-2): Joe Lumley; Andy Yiadom, Naby Sarr, Amadou Mbengue; Junior Hoilett (Femi Azeez H-T), Tom Ince, Tom McIntyre, Jeff Hendrick, Baba Rahman (Nesta Guinness-Walker 41); Andy Carroll, Shane Long (Tyrese Fornah H-T). Subs not used: Dean Bouzanis, Scott Dann, Yakou Meite, Cesare Casadei.

Rotherham (4-1-3-2): Viktor Johansson; Lee Peltier (Wes Harding 75), Bailey Wright, Cameron Humphreys, Cohen Bramall; Conor Coventry; Ollie Rathbone (Shane Ferguson 78), Hakeem Odoffin (Tom Eaves 90+1), Tariqe Fosu (Georgie Kelly 90+1); Conor Washington, Jordan Hugill (Chiedozie Ogbene 75). Subs not used: Josh Vickers, Grant Hall.

Goals: Peltier 38 (Rotherham); Carroll 52, Fornah 90 (Reading).

Referee: John Busby (Oxfordshire).