Monday 26 December 2016 18:43, UK
Norwich's struggles continued as they lost for the eighth time in 10 Sky Bet Championship matches after going down 3-1 at in-form Reading.
Reading went ahead eight minutes before the break when Yann Kermorgant was given time and space to nod in a free-kick but Norwich merited the equaliser they got in the 60th minute through Nelson Oliveira.
The Canaries were behind again soon after when captain Jonny Howson conceded a penalty and was sent off for deliberate handball, with Garrath McCleary netting the rebound after Kermorgant hit the bar with his spot-kick.
Callum Harriott added a late third goal for Reading, who won for the eighth time in 10 league matches, while Norwich's form continues to tail off significantly since they topped the Championship in mid-October.
It was the hosts who started the brighter and they could have gone ahead in the first minute when Kermorgant found Liam Kelly with space in the area, but visiting defender Ivo Pinto got back to make a last-ditch clearance.
Norwich swiftly assumed control though, with Graham Dorrans swinging over a corner from the left which saw Steven Naismith send a glancing header sailing over the home crossbar.
However, Dorrans lasted only until the 25th minute, when he had to go off with a leg injury after attempting to block a fiercely struck ball from close range.
Norwich began in the second half where they left off in the first, running the game yet still failing to capitalise on their dominance.
Sebastien Bassong and Oliveira missed opportunities but Norwich finally levelled on the hour when Murphy drove towards the byline and cut the ball back for Oliveira to lash into the roof of the net.
That was no more than Norwich deserved, but they were level for just eight minutes before Reading regained their lead.
Skipper Howson was sent off for handling Kermorgan's goalbound header, and after the Frenchman's chipped spot-kick had struck the bar, McCleary reacted quickly to nod in the rebound.
It was Reading's 10th penalty award of the season - five of which they have missed - but was the fourth time they had netted on the follow up.
Substitute Harriott wrapped up the victory in stoppage time with a well-struck shot which went in off the post.
Reading boss Jaap Stam:
"I like to have patience when we have the ball a lot. You don't want to rush things in terms of creating chances. Norwich started the game aggressively in going forward, sometimes pressing us one-versus-one all over the pitch.
"We didn't create a lot of chances in the first half and we knew Norwich would press us even more in the second half. But after the sending-off and the penalty, it meant that the spaces would open up even more and they did when scored the third."
Norwich boss Alex Neil:
"It's part and parcel of the game. My focus is on just trying to win the next game. We need to keep our heads down and keep going. There's no relevance to the players having given up and all the rest of this sort of nonsense that comes with the end of a tenure anywhere.
"The fight in me will never go away. I've been a competitor since I started playing and that'll never change."
