On this day in 2022, Reading were humiliatingly dumped out of the FA Cup 2-1 at the hands of sixth tier Kidderminster Harriers.

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The first season back to reality after the game was played behind-closed-doors for almost the entirety of 2020/21, in which Reading threw away a play-off finish with poor form at the end of the season, the Royals struggled to pick up any form in a stop-start 2021/22 campaign.

Veljko Paunovic's side were hovering about the relegation zone for most of the season, especially after the autumn in which the club were hit with their first, of what would become many, points deductions.

Always an exciting date for football fans, the FA Cup third round meant Reading were facing non-league opposition for the first time in a generation.

Tickets to Aggborough Stadium sold out within hours and Royals fans travelled in their thousands to the Midlands for the tie, leaving Championship fears at home for a day.

Reading had won twice in 11 matches and made eight changes for the clash with the National League North promotion contenders.

Not playing particularly well, George Puscas fired Reading into a first-half lead through an offside strike in the first half.

Hoping to use it as a springboard for a stronger performance after the break, that was not to be the case as a jittery visiting side were up against it.

Sam Austin deservedly equalised for the Harriers with 20 minutes remaining, and it felt like only a matter of time before the hosts would turn it around.

Unable to stem the flow of attacks, the hosts did just that with eight minutes remaining, bundling the ball over the line as Rafael Cabral failed to deal with a cross adequately.

READ MORE: Reading FC fan 'hit on the head' at Aggborough Stadium

Anger filled the away end and tension mounted on the field and in the terraces following the final whistle as home supporters streamed onto the pitch to congratulate their heroes.

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Kidderminster fell to West Ham United in round four and lost to Darlington in the play-off eliminator to miss out on promotion.

For Reading, the defeat at Kidderminster was just the beginning of what would be the club's worst month in living memory.

Three days on from the cup exit, Fulham was 7-0 at the Madejski Stadium to inflict the club's worst-ever home league defeat.

A 2-1 defeat to Middlesbrough, in stoppage time, followed, as did a 4-0 defeat at Queens Park Rangers, 4-3 defeat to Huddersfield Town and 2-0 defeat to Luton Town.

Paunovic departed in February after a run of one league win in 12, replaced by England legend Paul Ince.

Four more wins was enough for the Royals to secure second tier survival in 21st, four points clear of Peterborough United.

Reading would go on to face non-league opponents twice more in the following three seasons, losing to Eastleigh last year in round two.