Blues went down 2-1 at Reading today in the first of many relegation-deciding games.

Andre Bikey's brace either side of Mauro Zarate's first goal for the club gave the home side all the points.

It was a gutsy performance but just not enough to get a share of the spoils.

Blues boss Alex McLeish will understandably be livid at having conceded two more goals from set pieces and equally frustrated at failing to hold onto a valuable away point after seeing his side claw themselves back into the game.

Conditions did not make the task any easier but Reading dealt with the job in hand rather better than the visitors.

The shock news was the knee injury to James McFadden who was ruled out of today's vital clash with a knee injury and potentially for further games in the relegation run-in.

The Scottish International's omission was one of two changes made.

Seb Larsson was declared fit after the injury he suffered against Newcastle.

Argentinian Mauro Zarate was promoted to the starting line-up to partner Mikael Forssell for the second successive away game. Medhi Nafti replaced Damien Johnson in midfield.

Maik Taylor was called into action inside two minutes when Kevin Doyle put the keeper under pressure but Radhi Jaidi was at hand to assist the keeper and clear the danger.

Moments later David Murphy collided with Liam Rosenior and the clash left the Reading player requiring treatment.

In the seventh minute Gary McSheffrey had a golden chance to fire Blues into the lead but he drilled his shot past Hahnemann and inches past his left hand post.

In the 12th minute there were appeals from the home crowd when Ridgewell appeared to impede Doyle in the box.

Jaidi lunged in on Doyle as the ball bobbled about but Stephen Kelly was on hand to hook the ball out for a throw-in.

Seconds later Dave Kitson controlled the ball on his chest but his second touch was a lunging tackle on keeper Taylor that was deemed a free kick.

In the 17th minute the Reading midfield broke clear with Stephen Hunt racing towards goal but once again Kelly was there again with a last ditch tackle.

Hunt was in the action again almost capitalising on Jaidi's mistake in the Reading box before starting with a rapid counter attack.

The Irishman finished with a long-range effort that beat Taylor and clipped the top of the bar.

In the 20th minute Jaidi should have done better from Larsson's corner with his header when he guided it a yard over the bar with just Hahnemann to beat.

Midway through the half Mike Riley raced off the pitch into the Blues dugout to reprimand one of the back room staff and then race back on.

Disaster struck on the half hour mark when Andre Bikey gave Reading the lead.

A disputed free-kick almost on the corner spot allowed John Oster to pick the unmarked Bikey out in the box and he made no mistake with his header that left Taylor flat footed.

Blues almost responded immediately through McSheffrey with his chip almost beating Hahnemann but the Reading keeper managed to just tip the ball over the bar for a corner.

McSheffrey swung the corner in with the ball falling to Forssell who rather snatched at his shot and just missed from close range.

Blues failed to make any further impact in the half and went into the interval trailing by a solitary goal.

Half-time Reading 1-0 Blues

Two minutes into the half Blues were on the back foot again with Kelly once again snuffed out the danger by just clearing the bar with his hooked clearance.

Minutes later Blues were looking disjointed at the back with Reading slicing their defence open at will.

Doyle broke free down the left and pulled the ball back to Oster who ballooned the ball over the bar.

The breezy conditions were making it difficult for both teams to play any kind of football.

In the 55th minute Blues were almost caught out when Hunt's free kick picked out Doyle, but he could only glance his header wide of the target.

The were valid appeals for a penalty when Murphy blocked Oster's cross with his arm but thankfully Mr Riley saw it as accidental and awarded a corner to the home side.

Blues' first half chance came in the 63rd minute when Zarate raced onto Nafti's punt forward, but Hahnemann came racing out of the box to head the ball out of play.

A minute later Mauro Zarate fired Blues level with his first Premiership goal.

Superb footwork by Forssell in the box left Ingimarsson stranded and he drilled the ball across the face of goal where Zarate got in front of Bikey to steer the ball home.

Garry O'Connor replaced Gary McSheffrey in the 66th minute with Zarate switching wide and the Scot partnering Forssell.

Blues had the impetus now and Larsson's free-kick found Jaidi who met the ball on the volley.

Somehow the ball squeezed through to Forssell six-yards out but Hahnemann spread himself well and blocked the ball for a corner.

John Oster went close in the 75th minute when he cut in from the right and hit a low shot towards the near post that Taylor dived down to collect.

This proved to be his last pitch of action as he was replaced by Shane Long moments later.

Liam Ridgewell was the first man in the book in the 79th minute with an unnecessary foul on Shane Long that now sees him suspended for two games.

This was a double whammy when Andre Bikey headed Reading back into the lead again in the 80th minute.

This time Jaidi failed to halt the muscular centre half who guided Hunt's free kick past the helpless Taylor.

Cameron Jerome replaced Mikael Forssell before the restart. Steve Coppell also made a change with Kalifa Cisse replacing Marek Matejovsky.

Jerome almost made an immediate impact twice going close in the space of a minute.

The first came when he headed straight at Hahnemann from Kelly's cross.

Then he broke clear of Ingimarsson and struck the ball past the advancing keeper but a foot wide of the post.

In the 83rd minute Ridgewell was lucky to stay on the pitch with a recklessly high challenge on substitute Long.

The Reading striker required treatment and a clean shirt before resuming his part in the game.

Reading cheekily allowed Bikey to take the long-range free kick, which did find its way past the wall and safely into Taylor's arms.

Long was dangerous every time he picked up the ball and he raced towards goal under pressure from Jaidi and still managed to get a shot in on goal that Taylor blocked with his legs for a corner.

Muamba was lucky to escape without a caution after a reckless challenge in the dying moments with the final whistle blowing time on Blues chances of getting back into the game.

Neighbours Villa gave Sunderland all three points but Bolton's draw sees Blues still hovering above the bottom three with Man City next at St. Andrews.

Full time: Reading 2 Blues 1

Blues: Maik Taylor, Stephen Kelly, David Murphy, Liam Ridgewell, Radhi Jaidi, Gary McSheffrey (Garry O'Connor, 66), Fabrice Muamba, Mehdi Nafti, Seb Larsson, Mikael Forssell (Cameron Jerome, 80), Mauro Zarate

Goals: Mauro Zarate (64)
Booked: Liam Ridgewell (79)

Reading: Marcus Hahnemann, Liam Rosenior, Nicky Shorey, Andre Bikey, Ivar Ingimarsson, John Oster (Shane Long, 77), James Harper, Marek Matejovsky (Kalifa Cisse, 81), Stephen Hunt, Dave Kitson, Kevin Doyle.

Goals: Andre Bikey (31, 80)

Referee Mike Riley

Attendance: 24,085