LIVERPOOL - Phil Jagielka's first league goal for Everton ensured that the Toffees kept a firm grip on fourth spot in the race for Champions League football.
Reading, who battled hard at the end to salvage something, still slipped to their seventh successive Barclays Premier League defeat.
Jagielka stole the show with a headed winner on 62 minutes as Everton struggled to end a run of three games without a goal.
They managed it, with Jagielka equally outstanding in defence, and have still to be beaten in the league in 2008.
Everton boss David Moyes made just one change from the side that drew at Blackburn last weekend, with Leighton Baines out with a calf injury and Joseph Yobo returning, after playing for Nigeria in the African Nations Cup.
His countryman, Ayegbeni Yakubu, who arrived late from the tournament this week, was fined and dropped from the squad for this match. Everton were also without Victor Anichebe (knee) and Steven Pienaar (ankle).
Reading were missing the suspended Ivar Ingimarsson while Leroy Lita had a heel problem. Former Everton winger John Oster stepped in with Ibrahima Sonko also starting.
And Reading opened brightly with two early opportunities. Inside a minute Stephen Hunt fired in a 25-yard free-kick that forced Tim Howard into a save at the foot of a post, claiming the ball only at the second attempt.
Then Nicky Shorey got away on the left from a clever free-kick routine, and his cross was headed over, unchallenged, by Dave Kitson.
But the game soon became ragged, with neither side able to maintain possession long enough to build moves.
With Everton short of Yakubu and Anichebe, Andrew Johnson was left on his own up front, a hard task that rarely saw him without two defenders in attendance.
What was becoming a dire match was brightened by a bizarre tantrum from Hunt after a clash with his Republic of Ireland team-mate. Hunt sprang to his feet and was heading for Carsley at pace before being dragged away by alert colleagues. At one time it took three of them to contain the little winger, who was clearly incensed.
No manner of colleagues or rivals imploring him to calm down could contain the rage. Referee Mark Halsey eventually stepped in, with Carsley also having a quiet word.
Sadly it did not spark much entertaining football. Marek Matejovsky saw a 25-yard go a yard wide, and the malaise even spread to Mikel Arteta.
The little Spaniard, who can usually be relied upon for clever footwork and neat touches managed to plant two crosses hopelessly high.
A minute from the break Tim Cahill wasted the best chance of the half when he hooked wide from a Leon Osman cross, and then Cahill headed just over from a corner.
Everton sent on James Vaughan at the break in place of Manuel Fernandes to give Johnson some much needed support.
And after 51 minutes, Vaughan stormed down the left to fire in an inviting low cross that both Cahill and Johnson missed in the six-yard box.
The game had improved with more shape and quality about the play, and Everton went ahead on 62 minutes through Jagielka.
Kevin Doyle headed out a corner, and when Osman lobbed the ball back into the six-yard box for Jagielka to appear all on his own to head over Hahnemann, Doyle playing three Everton players onside.
Back at the other end, Jagielka's crucial challenge stopped a Matejovsky pass reaching the unmarked Kitson.
Reading took off Kitson and sent on Shane Long on 74 minutes, but Everton were now looking far more assured.
Vaughan managed a spectacular overhead effort that Hahnemann saved at full stretch. He then mis hit a hook after setting up Johnson for the cross himself.
Next on for Reading was Jimmy Kebe in place of Oster amid growing pressure from Reading to salvage something from the game.
And it was Jagielka again who produced a stunning saving tackle after Kebe had broken away with six minutes left. Reading kept coming forward, Carsley looked to handle in the box and James Harper hit the outside of a post as Everton's control began to slip.
But in a dramatic ending of Reading pressure, Everton hung on to a crucial victory.
