Stephen Hunt's controversial injury time goal gave Reading a 2-1 victory over Sunderland at the Madejski Stadium.

The home side took the lead in the second half through Ivar Ingimarsson, but Michael Chopra's late penalty looked to have earned Roy Keane's side a point before Hunt's close-range effort was adjudged to have crossed the line by referee Steve Tanner.

Reading boss Steve Coppell was able to call on Brynjar Gunnarsson after he recovered from a gashed knee sustained against Birmingham last weekend, while Roy Keane recalled goalkeeper Craig Gordon after a spell on the bench and handed a start to former Manchester United team-mate Andrew Cole.

With just four minutes on the clock Cole found himself one-on-one with Marcus Hahnemann after being picked out by a Dwight Yorke through-ball, but his low shot was blocked and when the ball came back to him he overran it and Hahnemann was able to pounce.

Moments later, Reading went close for the first time when Dave Kitson's right-footed curler from the left-hand edge of the area skimmed the roof of the net.

The first half was low on quality, but as it developed Reading began to exert some pressure, and with half an hour gone the visitors were indebted to Gordon for keeping out Hunt's back post header with a superb point-blank save.

Irish striker Kevin Doyle was able to provoke consternation among the Sunderland back four on occasion, and ten minutes before half-time he out-muscled Danny Higginbotham inside the area but dragged his shot across goal and wide from about 10 yards out.

Chopra tried to inspire his team-mates with a long-range strike that flew narrowly over the bar shortly after half-time, but his effort appeared to have the adverse effect of firing up his opponents.

A minute later Kitson found Hunt with a cross-field pass, and the Reading number ten stepped inside Danny Collins on the right-hand edge of the box before sending a stinging drive past Gordon which cannoned back off the far post.

Coppell's men appeared to have the momentum, but they let it fade and the game drifted into a rather aimless period until Ingimarsson broke the deadlock with twenty minutes remaining.

Tom Williams / Eurosport