The Royals secured their place in the second round of the League Cup with a penalty shootout win against Bromley on Saturday afternoon.
Josh Stokes scored early on for the Royals but Michael Cheek netted before half-time to make it even. Lewis Wing had the chance to win it during normal time with a penalty but hit the post.
The game went to a shootout with the Royals scoring all five of their spot-kicks. Joel Pereira saved the final Bromley effort to take the Royals through.
Here is what Royals boss
Leam Richardson had to say, he spoke to Royals TV.
Richardson on the performance
“Very pleased to progress. We knew the challenge should be a heavy one coming here off back of Bromley getting promoted, their momentum coming in and the way they play.
“Credit to the players… Stokesy, Wingy, the skipper, you know, had a few days off this week and they were worse for wear. We were weren’t sure what we were going to do but they’ve got on the pitch, and they gave a good account of themselves today.
“I thought we started the game very well and then we scored a really good goal off the kind of intent and penetration that we want to deliver.
“Then the game got a little bit bitty. I didn’t think we worked hard enough in possession towards the end of the first half, which we addressed at half-time. And then I thought in the second half as the game went on I thought we got stronger and stronger.
“I thought the lads coming off the bench were excellent. We took the game up the pitch for some time, and they didn’t really have an outlet. We just needed that little bit more quality really.
“With the penalty, I think without seeing it back you have got to send him off as well because it’s an intentional foul. You should have gone and won the game comfortably but, overall, it’s really good to progress.”
Richardson on Josh Stokes and squad selection
“He was to-ing and fro-ing whether he should have started really; he’s a couple of weeks behind where the lads are with signing and training, etc, but we still wanted to get him another 50 minutes. It’s part of his pre-season still and, again, he’s been ill this week as well.
“So, it wasn’t perfect, but he wanted to wanted to give it a go. I probably should have made the sub at half-time but, for his debut, to get a goal, you can see his qualities. I think once he gets a little bit sharper, he’s got an eye for a pass, he gets in between the lines, and he uses the body really well. He’ll be a really good addition for us.
“It’s how we want to be, we want more penetration and more final-third entries. It was something last year with the squad that we had. We probably had the strongest part of our pitch more central, you know, with Wingy, Kammy Doyle, Jack and Sav, so we didn’t really have the wide players and the penetration.
“We tried to play potent possession through the middle of the pitch, which sometimes I thought we were very good at. Going forward, we want more penetration and we want more pace and power. Even in this window, we’re going to hopefully try and add a little bit more of that.”
Richardson on looking ahead to Luton next Saturday
“I learned a lot about individuals last year, going into the summer. It’s important we had a good preseason, whether that’s the recruitment or the physicality of it, the fitness levels of it with the S&C team coming in. We’ve got a really good base of that.
“If we can have three or four more bodies with quality going into the squad that we’ve got, because the season had shown its teeth yet with suspensions, loss of form and touchwood, no injuries, but we know what it takes.”
Richardson on the next round
“I’d like a home game for our fans. Get a really good home game for our fans, and fingers crossed we can get a win for them as well.”
