READING secured their first Championship win in six matches with a 2-1 victory against lowly Bolton Wanderers to end a rollercoaster week for boss Steve Clarke.

Royals boss came under fire from supporters for speaking with Fulham on Wednesday over a possible move to Craven Cottage.

But Clarke rejected the offer of joining Reading's Championship rivals, claiming 'what I've got here at Reading is better.'

His theory certainly appeared to hold water this afternoon, though it took a succession of brilliant Ali Al Habsi saves to deny Bolton early on before Royals went on to show their authority with first-half goals from Lucas Piazon and Danny Williams.

Liam Feeney did pull one back for the Trotters with a late penalty, but Royals survived a late onslaught to claim three vital points.

Yet it may take more than one victory to convince disgruntled Royals supporters that Clarke is fully committed to the club.

Clarke made four changes to the side that lost 2-0 at Cardiff City last time out before the international break.

Piazon, Williams, Garath McCleary and Paul McShane all stepped in to an attack-minded side, with Nick Blackman and Orlando Sa up front.

After a minute's silence for the victims of the Paris attacks, it was Bolton who created the first real chance.

McShane took out Feeney on the right, earning himself a booking. Jose Casado swung the ball in and Shola Ameobi's header looked like bursting the net until Al Habsi somehow clawed it away, with Neil Danns slamming the rebound into the side netting.

Clarke's men hit back with McShane heading over from a McCleary cross, but it was only a brief response as Bolton stepped it up again.

The visitors, though, could find no way past Al Habsi who was in superb form.

He produced a stunning save to deny Mark Davies who was clean through on goal with only the Royals goalkeeper to beat.

Then moments later he somehow kept out a Darren Pratley header from no more than six yards, earning rousing appreciation from the Royals' faithful.

But Bolton's failure to take their chances came back to haunt them when Piazon broke the deadlock in the 28th minute.

The goal was all the Bazillian's own making as he charged down a Prince Gouano clearance, held off a defender and dinked the ball over the on-rushing Ben Amos with the minimum of fuss.

And before Bolton had time to recover they conceded a second goal five minutes later.

Once again their defending was suspect at best as Williams was allowed to stroll through the middle and, after a crucial dummy run from Nick Blackman, drill the ball past Amos from 25-yards out.

Royals were in complete control and Norwood fired over from distance before Piazon headed into the side netting from McCleary's deep cross as the visitors were desperately hanging on, However, they almost pulled one back nine minutes after the restart when Ameobi's header crashed against the crossbar from Darren Pratley's cross.

Yet the longer it went on, the less likely Trotters looked like scoring. Not even a double change by Neil Lennon with 25 minutes to go made much difference.

Instead, Reading went close to a third when Blackman's volley was expertly tipped over by Amos from a McCleary cross.

But as Royals crept towards the winning line, so nerves began to show.

They were not aided by some strange substitutions by Clarke either. He took off two attacking players in Piazon and McCleary and sent on two defensive players in Jordan Obita and Jake Cooper.

Inbetween those changes, Bolton pulled one back through Feeney's penalty with 10 minutes to go after Norwood had tripped Pratley in front of referee James Linnington.

And Royals' hearts were in mouths when Trotters substitute Gary Madine went down in the box in the last minute, but Linnington did not want to know.

Royals somehow rode out the final minutes under increasing amounts of Bolton pressure to clinch the win that moves them up to seventh in the table, and brings some degree of calm at the end of a turbulent week.

Reading's next game is away at Nottingham Forest on Saturday.