MATEJ Vydra scored a second-half hat-trick as Reading FC came from 2-0 down to beat 10-man Huddersfield Town in a pulsating FA Cup third round replay.

The night started in disastrous fashion after Royals fell 2-0 behind after 15 minutes following early goals from Jamie Paterson and Tommy Smith.

But Brian McDermott's men were handed a lifeline on 28 minutes when Jonathan Hogg was shown a straight red by referee Oliver Langford after pulling Vydra back.

Reading punished Terriers further when Lucas Piazon curled the resulting free kick beyond Joe Murphy to give the home side hope.

And Royals made their extra man count after the break as Vydra equalised on 58 minutes before firing his side in front three minutes later.

Even then, the Terriers threatened to make it 3-3 when Nahki Wells hit the woodwork.

But Vydra settled Royals nerves with his hat-trick goal in the 90th minute, before substitute Alex Fernandez netted an injury-time fifth and his first for the club.

This was a strange yet captivating game from start to finish and, if anything, Huddersfield could have been out of sight by the time Hogg was sent off and Royals started the fightback.

McDermott's men looked nervy all over the pitch in the opening exchanges as Terriers threatened to run riot.

But they gradually grew in confidence, though the sending off of Hogg certainly helped their cause.

McDermott picked an unchanged side for the third match in a row. It was the same side that drew 1-1 at Derby County a week ago, and the same that lost 1-0 at MK Dons on Saturday.

But Royals fans, buoyed by the pre-match signing of Manchester City youngster, George Evans, on a three-and-a-half year deal, were soon cursing their side when Huddersfield took the lead with eight minutes gone.

Reading were pushing Terriers back when Nahki Wells led a counter attack and Paterson took the ball off his toe before rifling a shot past Ali Al Habsi at his near post.

And the night got even worse seven minutes later when Terriers scored a second after some comical defending.

The unmarked Emyr Huws headed Lolly's cross onto the crossbar but Smith picked up the pieces before drilling a low effort across Al Habsi and into the far corner for his first goal for Terriers on his 94th appearance.

It was simply wretched from the Royals. They lacked any sort of cohesion and struggled to string two passes together.

If anything, it almost got even worse as Al Habsi was forced to make a sharp, low save to deny Paterson then, from the corner, the Royals keeper was tested again by Smith.

Yet as the natives began to grow restless, they were handed a lifeline when centre-back Jonathan Hogg was shown a straight red by Oliver Langford for pulling back Vydra as he raced towards goal.

Royals also cashed in from the free-kick with Piazon curling a delicious effort past an unmoved Joe Murphy and into the top corner.

McDermott's men rarely threatened an equaliser before the break and Royals boss was forced to replace the injured Garath McCleary with Ola John.

But his side almost equalise less than two minutes after the restart when Hal Robson-Kanu's header was tipped over the bar by Murphy from Andrew Taylor's inch-perfect cross.

But Reading did not need to wait long to draw level thanks to a 58th minute goal from Vydra.

He linked up well with John who slipped the ball wide to Robson-Kanu.

The winger's shot forced a fine one-handed save from Murphy, but Vydra was on the spot to hook home the loose ball.

In this wide-open cup tie, Terriers fired another warning and nearly regained the lead when Wells dinked the ball over Al Habsi, only to see it bounce off the angle of post and bar.

But Royals used continued to use their extra man to their advantage and only a fine stop by Murphy denied Vydra in the 70th minute before Taylor sliced an effort over the bar from 25 yards.

However, tired legs began to tell on Huddersfield as Robson-Kanu, Williams and Chris Gunter all went close late on.

And there was still time left for Vydra to notch his hat-trick when he raced through and slotted past Murphy, and for substitute Alex Fernandez to score his first for the club with a super finish from 20 yards in injury time.

The relief could be felt all round the sparsely populated Madejski Stadium as Royals sealed a fourth round home tie against League One Walsall a week on Saturday.

Before that Reading host Sheffield Wednesday in the Championship this Saturday (3pm).