HAL Robson-Kanu scored his first league goal of the season as Reading FC ended a six-match winless streak with a 1-0 victory against Neil Warnock's Rotherham United, writes Anthony Smith.

It looked like being a frustrating night for Brian McDermott's hosts until the Wales international broke the deadlock with 66 minutes gone from an assist by substitute Deniss Rakels.

Until then Reading had looked a shadow of the side that dumped Premier League West Brom out of the FA Cup at this same venue on Saturday.

Their passing was poor, their energy levels low and their finishing in the final third was shocking to say the least.

That, in part, was due to the pressure they came under from Warnock's struggling side.

The Millers are fighting for their lives and they refused to give an inch, particularly in a bad-blooded first half.

Rotherham, playing in yellow, spent most of the first period accumulating yellows as five players found their way into Kevin Johnson's book in the space of 23 minutes.

Warnock, who remains public enemy no.1 in these parts, will not have complained. But Royals found more space after the break and they made it count with the decisive goal of the night.

McDermott made two changes to the side that dumped the Baggies out of the FA Cup.

Yann Kermorgant, cup tied for that match, returned in place of Simon Cox, while Ola John made his first league start of 2016 in place of Rakels.

It took Royals time to settle before they wasted two excellent chances to go in front.

A strong run from John down the left won an 11th minute corner and, from Oliver Norwood's flag-kick, Kermorgant's header was saved on the line by Lee Camp.

Then two minutes later Robson-Kanu burst down the right and crossed to Kermorgant, whose volley flew wide of the target.

But McDermott's side were struggling to find any rhythm and they were fortunate not to fall behind midway through the first half.

Ex-Royal Greg Halford flicked the ball on to Richard Wood whose glancing header forced a superb one-handed save from Ali Al Habsi.

The hosts just weren't at the races. John, with a long-range effort, and Quinn, with a stooping header, did have chances but they failed to worry Camp in the Millers' goal.

It is what Warnock will have wanted and a flurry of bookings – including one for Halford for an apparent elbow on Jake Cooper - showed Rotherham were not ready to lie down.

Then on 40 minutes Richie Smallwood was also yellow carded for taking a dive in the box, a decision that incensed Millers who were screaming for a penalty after Cooper had stuck out a leg.

There had been more bookings than shots on target, and a fifth for Rotherham followed on the stroke of half time when Wood clattered Kermorgant.

It was a turgid affair and the home side were wasteful again less than a minute after the break.

Gunter burst the full length of the pitch before picking out Kermorgant with a fine cross, but the Frenchman's header from a good position bounced woefully wide.

It looked like being one of those days, but a 65th minute substitution by McDermott paid immediate dividends.

He replaced Norwood with Rakels and the Latvia striker found space in the box before sending over a cross.

Kermorgant could not quite control it, but the ball ran to Robson-Kanu who opened his body and passed the ball across Camp and into the far corner from a difficult angle.

Suddenly, Reading relaxed and kept Rotherham at arms length for the remainder of the match.

They threatened a second goal with 11 minutes to go when Rakels' header deflected narrowly wide, then held on comfortably for a crucial result.

The victory was only a fourth in 21 Championship matches for Reading, but three vital points has surely killed off any relegation fears once and for all.

The result lifted them to 14th in the table and a win at rock-bottom Charlton this Saturday (3pm) could see them climb even higher.