The Royals took more than 1,000 fans down the M4 to face local rivals Swindon Town in the Vertu Trophy, with the game resulting in a 3-2 defeat.
Reading went 2-0 down early in the first half but did put on a comeback after a Swindon own-goal and a Jack Marriott equaliser to take it into half-time level. Swindon came out in the second half fighting and scored the winner through Will Wright.
Manager Noel Hunt said the game was eye-opening for his young side. Here is what he had to say, he spoke to the Reading
Chronicle.
Hunt on the performance
“Look at the team we had on the pitch – the young boys – Joe Barough, Jerry Okine-Peters and the young boys that came on that haven’t been involved in a first-team environment before.
“It was a really good learning for them. The first half we started really well – young Jerry and Tyler Sackey getting in at the far post – and in the first 10 minutes we had two really good opportunities.
“[Swindon] score, which knocks us a bit, and Ollie Palmer is a handful, but I thought they showed great character to come back into it. It was pleasing for Jack to get 70 minutes and a goal under his belt.”
Hunt on squad rotation
“For the ones we left at home, the likes of Lewis Wing, Derrick Williams, Finley Burns, Matty Jacob, Daniel Kyerewaa, they have played every minute of every game and it’s important if we get some downtime that we take it.
“Everyone is in tomorrow, Thursday and Friday and we’ll look at potentially giving them the weekend off if we can.
“Tonight, young Andre fell ill yesterday evening, Tivonge is away with internationals, Mama is away on internationals, Mark is away on internationals.
“It was a night of eye-opening stuff. When the pressure is on in the heat of a derby – we are desperate to win it and we understand what the game is – for the young ones to get exposed to that is invaluable.”