Two moments of quality finishing from striker Nicky Forster gave Reading a deserved win at the JJB Stadium as Wigan's early season brightness dimmed even further.
This was their fifth game without a win and it left manager Paul Jewell bemoaning his sides lack of a cutting edge as Forster showed them the way with two clinical finishes.
His first came on 53 minutes when he drilled a low shot past John Filan and his second came in the dying moments as the Wigan defence stood off and allowed Forster to blast home from eight yards.
In between, there was some exciting football from both sides with the home side probably having the lions share of the play but unable to turn thier possession into goals.
They went close in the first half when Andy Liddell brought a fine save from Reading keeper Marcus Hahnemann and after the break a 25-yard screamer from Nathan Ellington brought the best out of the Reading keeper.
But the visitors always looked the more dangerous with Forster proving a constant threat.
Two first-half saves from Filan denied the Reading hitman and only an excellent stop after the break denied Forster a well-deserved hat-trick.