Keinan Davis helped Nottingham Forest enhance their play-off credentials as he scored twice in a thumping 4-0 win over Reading, who face a fight at the opposite end of the Sky Bet Championship table.

Davis scored his first after only 17 seconds – thought to be the second fastest goal in Forest’s history – before adding a spectacular second to make it 2-0.

Steve Cooper’s side made certain of three points as Ryan Yates scored his fourth goal in six games, before substitute Sam Surridge rounded things off.

The only concern for Cooper will have been injuries sustained by Max Lowe and Steve Cook, who limped off late on.

Paul Ince’s Reading side were more than in the game in the first half but were blown away in the second, as they suffered a third consecutive defeat.

Forest could hardly have made a better start, with that lightning strike from Davis coming direct from kick-off.

Joe Worrall picked out Djed Spence in acres of space down the right and he delivered an inch-perfect ball into the centre, where Davis took a touch and turned in a single motion, before forcing the ball home.

There were only 17 seconds on the clock, which was three seconds behind Jack Lester who netted in 14 seconds against Norwich in March 2000.

Forest goalkeeper Ethan Horvath had to make an impressive, alert save to deny Michael Morrison from close range.

And Reading should have been level just before half-time following superb work from Tom Ince, who drove into space down the left before delivering a perfect cross to the far post where Josh Laurent sent a powerful downward header bouncing the wrong side of the upright.

Forest saw Cook send a spectacular volley over the crossbar in the early stages of the second half, while Scott McKenna was inches away from connecting with another superb free-kick delivery from James Garner.

Royals goalkeeper Luke Southwood did brilliantly to tip away a cross-shot from Spence, but there was no stopping Davis as Forest made it 2-0 in the 62nd minute.

Worrall fed him the ball 30 yards from goal and the big striker turned brilliantly to lose his marker before rampaging towards goal and unleashing a precise, unstoppable finish from the edge of the box, which found the net off the inside of the far post.

Forest made certain of the points in the 75th minute as they scored a spectacular third. Spence tormented down the right side before feeding Yates 20 yards from goal, from where he lashed a low shot into the bottom corner.

And it was 4-0 five minutes later as two subs combined, with Xande Silva crossing for Surridge to confidently sweep home.