Before the game began, a minute's silence was observed by all in the stadium as all at the Madejski paid their respects to those who tragically lost their lives at Forbury Gardens ten days ago. Captain Liam Moore laid a wreath in the centre circle before the game kicked off.
The first chance fell to the Royals and Sam Baldock took aim from range but dragged his effort harmlessly wide.
The high-flying Bees soon found their rhythm though and began passing the ball between them quickly and with intent to pierce the Royals back line. And that is exactly what they did mid-way through the opening period.
A deep corner from the left was headed back into the six yard box at the back poost and Bryan Mbeumo was there to glance the ball past a helpless Rafael and earn the visitors a 1-0 lead.
Some nice work from Olise on the right side of the pitch allowed Gunter to deliver a dangerous cross deep towards the back post but Meite's outstretched leg couldn't do enough to test David Raya in the Brentford goal from a tight angle.
But Rafael had to be alert to come off his line and thwart Mbeumo with ten minutes of the half remaining. A ball from deep picked out the Bees forward, who had sprung the offside trap, and he got the ball under control and stabbed a shot away only for the Brazilian stopper to save well low at his feet before leaping on the loose ball.
Watkins drilled wide with his left foot as Thomas Frank's men continued to look dangerous in the final third. But Reading posed a threat themselves, with Sam Baldock winning a free kick on the edge of the box, right of centre. Swift delivered the set piece and the Bees could only half clear the danger - the ball dropped to Olise whose first time strike headed goalwards before a deflection took it over the bar for a corner.
Watkins dragged an effort wide of the left post with his right boot, before Gunter and Olise nearly combined to good effect down the right flank at the other end - the former's pass just too heavy for the latter to dart onto in behind the Bees defence.
Half-time | Reading 0-1 Brentford
Reading began the second half on the front foot and Rinomhota floated a ball over the top which Meite so nearly managed to run onto. Watkins was proving a constant concern at the other end but his deflected effort was easy for Rafael on this occasion, Morrison taking the sting out of the shot.
A fabulous driving run from Rinomhota in midfielder set the Royals on the attack just before the hour and Swift took aim, but scuffed a right-footed shot wide of the bottom left corner.
Brentford nearly added a second soon after that though, Benrahma's shot blocked by Morrison but falling for Watkins whose strike was brillaintly parried by Rafael.
But the game was put to bed with a second for the Bees, Josh Dasilva denied initially by a sprawling save from Rafael but he was first to follow it up and aimed the loose ball high into the Reading net for 2-0.
Obita tried a curling effort with his right foot, but Raya comofrtably held onto his well-struck effort. Yet another diving block from Morrison prevented Watkins from adding his name to the scoresheet though as gaps began to appear across the pitch.
Rafael tipped a Norgaard effort wide of the target with 15 minutes of the match remaining.
But moments later Ejaria almost unlocked the Brentford defence with a superb jinking run in from the left that led to a cutback for Puscas who was shuffled off the ball by Brentford bodies before he could pull the trigger.
Rafael parried yet another Watkins drive as time began to tick down, however there was time for a third goal - a swerving effort from Valencia that whistled past Rafael in the Royals goal.
Full-time | Reading 0-3 Brentford
Reading: Rafael, Gunter, Obita, Moore (c), Morrison, Rinomhota, Swift (Adam 66), Ejaria, Meite, Olise (McCleary 60), Baldock (Puscas 60).
Unused subs: Walker, McIntyre, Blackett, Masika, Pelรฉ, Osho.
Brentford: Raya, Henry, Pinnock, Norgaard, Benrahma, Watkins, Dasilva (Baptiste 65), Emiliano (Mokotjo 81), Jansson (c), Mbeumo (Valencia 61), Dalsgaard (Roerslev 81).
Unused subs: Daniels, Dervisoglu, Jeanvier, Fosu, Zamburek.
Goals: Mbeumo 23, Dasilva 65, Valencia 90
Yellow: Jansson.
Referee: Mr Dean Whitestone