Sean Scannell's first goal of the season could not prevent Crystal Palace losing their second league game in a row as they went down 3-1 to Reading at Selhurst Park.

Simon Church scored two for the Royals and Jimmy Kebe got the other as the Eagles were made to pay for some pour defending.

Neil Warnock's side were the better team for the first 20 minutes but they failed to make their dominance count with Adam Federici pulling off saves from Darren Ambrose and Neil Danns.

Reading went in front after 23 minutes when Church was left unmarked to volley home Jobi McAnuff's cross.

Palace heads went down after that and they weren't helped by an injury to Danns who had to go off before half time to be replaced by Scannell.

Federici again denied Ambrose at the start of the second half and from the resultant corner Reading broke to score their second.

Brynjar Gunnarsson's cross could only be headed up into the air by Nick Carle and his attempted clearance fell to Kebe to side-foot home.

Palace rallied and Scannell pulled a goal back when he dived to head home Ambrose's corner.

For all their effort though the Eagles failed to really test Federici again and Church made the three points safe when he again found himself unmarked to convert Matt Mills' low cross with 10 minutes left.

Palace are now fourth from bottom of the Championship and only out of the relegation zone on goal difference.