Half-time: Reading 1 Fulham 0

New signing Matt Smith was sent off just 18 minutes into his Fulham debut, with Reading ahead at half-time through Glenn Murray’s goal.

Murray headed in Jordan Obita’s cross on 15 minutes after the Whites had been forced to defend heavily from the start.

Fulham, yet to win in the Championship, stayed focused but heads dropped when Smith, signed from Leeds on deadline day, was shown a straight red card for a high tackle on Obita.

Only Chris David looked threatening for the visitors before the break, forcing Adam Federici into a good save, while Jake Taylor missed by a whisker for the Royals.

Fulham boss Felix Magath made three changes to the side that drew with Cardiff last time out, with 38-year-old goalkeeper Gabor Kiraly also making his debut along with Smith, and youngster Sean Kavanagh returning at left-back.

Fulham (4-4-2): Kiraly; Voser, Burn, Bodorov, Kavanagh; Hoogland, Parker, David, Hyndman; McCormack, Smith.
Subs not used: Bettinelli, Satfylidis, Hutchinson, Zverotic, Roberts, Rodallega, Christensen.

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