READING became victims of a huge FA Cup upset as Kidderminster Harriers came from behind to progress from the third-round.
George Puscas put the Royals in front just before the break against the run of play to put pay to his goal drought.
Kidderminster skipper Sam Austin levelled the game before Amari Morgan-Smith netted a scrappy winner in the 81st minute for the National League North outfit.
In what turned out to be a dreadful afternoon for Reading, it was a game marred not only by a horrific result, but also to a nasty looking injury to Felipe Araruna who had only made his return from a 16 month injury last week.
There were plenty of changes, eight in total, made by Royals boss Veljko Paunovic which included a debut for academy defender Louie Holzman, while Tom Holmes adorned the captain’s armband.
Andy Rinomhota was named among the substitutes, the first time he has made the matchday squad since August due to injury.
Club record signing George Puscas would be relishing the chance to end his 277 day goal drought as he was handed a rare start to lead the line.
A packed out crowd turned out in force at Aggborough Stadium for the third-round tie, with both teams selling out their allocations to create a lively atmosphere and the 5,000 home fans hoping for a cup upset.
Despite the gap in divisions between the teams, it was an even start to the contest.
That was until Kidderminster goalkeeper Luke Simpson made a mess of his clearance in the 10th minute that gifted a chance to Mamadi Camara, but Simpson made amends to spare his blushes.
A scrappy half ensured with neither side able to create any clear cut chances, other than an important clearance from Holmes in the box and an optimistic outswinging cross from Dejan Tetek.
The non-league outfit grew into the tie and had a promising spell towards the end of the half.
The run of Ashley Hemmings allowed him to chest the ball into his path and run through towards goal but Ethan Bristow got back to make a challenge.
Omari Sterling-James cut infield and unleashed a powerful dipping effort from 35 yards out that forced an athletic stop from Rafael Cabaral who launched himself to his left to tip the ball over the bar.
Captain for the day Holmes, picked up the first booking of the match when Amari Morgan-Smith beat the defender to the ball and fell down under a mistimed tackle.
Paunovic had to use his first of five available subs five minutes before the break to replace the injured Alen Halilovic with Femi Azeez.
The half came towards a close with the hosts the happier of the sides in a first 45 that saw Reading unable to stamp any quality on the game.
That was until the final minute of the half when the Royals snatched the lead against the run of play.
A clipped ball through the middle to Tom Dele-Bashiru fell into the path of Puscas who struck the ball emphatically on the bounce past the keeper from eight yards to break his long running goal drought.
Paunovic made a second switch at half-time as Holmes was replaced by Josh Laurent who plugged the gap in central defence.
With renewed confidence in his game, Puscas had another sight of goal but blazed his shot over the bar from outside the area early in the second-half.
Camara went into the book and allowed Harriers to have a pop at goal from a free-kick. Sterling took on the shot that fizzed harmlessly wide of Rafael’s post.
Kidderminster skipper Sam Austin went on a forceful run down the right wing, jinked onto his left foot and sent a curling effort inches wide of the far post.
The home side maintained their momentum and stole possession inside the Reading box, but Rafael was out quickly to smother the attacker.
That lacklustre spell from the Royals prompted a double change just before the hour mark, which saw Rinomhota take the place of Danny Drinkwater and Felipe Araruna replace Tetek.
But just a minute after coming on, Arauna, who made his return after 16 months last Monday against Derby, had to be stretchered off and replaced by Michael Stickland.
Reading’s afternoon went from bad to worse when Austin’s strike squirmed through Rafael at the near post to give the National League North side a leveller with 20 minutes of normal time remaining.
Kidderminster applied all the pressure and looked the more likely to snatch the tie.
Rafael had to claw the ball away from the far post to push the ball away for a corner and from the resulting set-piece, the Harriers got in front as Morgan-Smith scrambled the ball over the line.
Despite 12 minutes of added time at the end of the 90, Reading were unable to find an equaliser and were eliminated in what was an historic afternoon for Kidderminster.
Kidderminster: Simpson, Penny, Cameron, Bajrami, Richards, Martin, Carrington, Hemmings, Austin (c), Sterling-James, Morgan-Smith
Subs: Tolley, Fremantle, White, Bastable, Lowe, Emery, Montrose, Foulkes
Reading: Rafael, Tetek, Holmes (c), Holzman, Bristow, Drinkwater, Osorio, Camara, Dele-Bashiru, Halilovic, Puscas
Subs: Azeez, Laurent, Rinomhota, Southwood, Clarke, Stickland, Araruna, Senga-Ngoyi
Goals: Puscas 45’, Austin 69’, Morgan-Smith 81’
