GARATH McCleary scored twice in the opening four minutes including the fastest goal in the Championship this season to inspire Reading to an impressive victory at Wigan Athletic.

The winger fired Royals in front with just 57 seconds on the clock at DW Stadium.

He then added a second in the fifth minute as Royals' leading goalscorer took his season's tally to six including three in the last two games.

In fact, he could have completed his hat-trick in the second half when he won a penalty, only to give the honours to Yann Kermorgant who gratefully accepted.

Reading had not beaten Wigan in any of their previous seven meetings, but that was brutally put to bed after an excellent display from Jaap Stam's men, who moved up to fourth in the table thanks to a third straight league win and clean sheet.

Wigan, however, remain in the bottom three and there was little for new boss Warren Joyce to cheer in his first match in charge.

Stam made two changes from the side that defeated Nottingham Forest at home a week earlier.

Callum Harriott replaced Roy Beerens on the left flank, while George Evans came in for Joey van den Berg as the team's defensive midfielder.

There was also a welcome return for Yakou Meite on the bench following a long injury lay-off.

Meanwhile, Joyce also tinkered with his side by giving ex-Royals striker Adam Le Fondre the nod up front against his old club.

But his best-laid plans were ripped apart by McCleary inside the opening four minutes.

Royals took the lead with under a minute on the clock when Dan Burn failed to deal with Evans' long ball over the top, allowing McCleary to nip in before expertly lobbing Bogdan.

Then three minutes later Royals grabbed a second when Liam Moore seized possession and fed McCleary who ran straight at a back-tracking Wigan defence before sliding the ball into the corner of Adam Bogdan's net.

It was a dream start for the visitors and it took Wigan until the 10th minute muster a real chance when Reece Burke blazed over Ali Al Habsi's bar.

Then six minutes later a Jordi Gomez header lacker power from a Michael Jacobs cross allowing Al Habsi to collect.

But Reading continued to pose the bigger threat and they almost snatched a third with 21 minutes gone when Kermorgant's shot deflected onto the roof of the Wigan net following a superb run by John Swift.

Evans also headed over the bar from McCleary's flag-kick, much to the relief of the home side.

Joyce had to make a change and he replaced Gomez, whose hat-trick fired Wigan to a 3-2 win against Reading in 2012, with Yanic Wildschut at the interval.

The Wigan substitute breathed life into his side by setting up Max Power, who failed to hit the target.

Then in the 54th minute he linked up with Le Fondre whose shot from the edge of the box was easily held by Al Habsi.

It was the home team's first shot on target in the match, but they almost pulled one back four minutes later when Le Fondre's deflected effort brought the best out of Al Habsi.

Yet Wigan's hopes of a comeback were quickly extinguished by McCleary once and for all.

It was his trickery in the box which forced a mistake from Power, who could only bring him down in the 63rd minute.

McClearly unselfishly passed up the opportunity to complete his hat-trick and handed the ball to Kermorgant, who rifled the spot-kick past Bogdan for his fourth of the season.

It was relatively plain sailing from there for the visitors who limited Wigan to long-range chances and put in a series of crucial blocks to deny Power and Wildschut.

So comfortable were the Royals that Stam even threw on Meite and Dominic Samuel late in the game to gain some much-needed game-time.

Both managed to test Bogdan during their cameo roles and Meite even put the ball in the net in injury time, but the offside flag was raised.

That, though, failed to take the gloss off an outstanding victory for Stam's side going into the fortnight's international break.