The Eagles edged a pre-season encounter at the Select Car Leasing Stadium this afternoon, courtesy of a penalty from Jean-Phillipe Mateta, Jordan Ayew's deflected effort and an injury time free-kick from Scott Banks - John Swift's deflected free-kick having equalised for the Royals mid-way through the second half.
Liam Moore began his pre-season as he left off last season – making a fine perfectly-timed tackle on Mateta to prevent the Palace forward from finding a way into a shooting position after he had cut into the Reading area from the left.
McIntyre had to deal with a looping Mitchell cross that floated over Rafael and after a quarter of an hour, the Brazilian stopper had to parry a powerful shot from Ayew to deny the Eagles an opener.
A couple of crunching tackles from Josh Laurent won the ball from Riedewald mid-way through the half, winning a free kick for the Royals which Swift chipped into the box – but Joao couldn’t win the aerial battle in the middle and Palace cleared the danger.
Rafael needed to watch a low driven effort from Ayew at one end, then Joao won a free kick just outside the area at the other – Swift’s delivery was headed clear and Ejaria’s follow up effort was charged down by a wall of yellow.
Moore took a tumble inside the box soon after, but nothing was awarded by referee Keith Stroud as Reading began to enjoy a good spell.
And moments later, Chiekhou Kouyate lost control of the ball and lunged into a tackle on Ejaria whose quick feet saw him steal it away from the Palace man. Kouyate caught Ejaria and was shown a red card for his efforts and, after complaining to the referee, he left the field to cheers from the Royals fans.
Swift’s resultant free kick swerved into the arms of the grateful Guaita and Patrick Vieira made a substitution – bringing on James Tomkins for Nya Kirby to bolster his depleted defence.
Guaita had to be alert, rushing off his line to collect a clever first time ball from Laurent that looked to find the run of Tetek. Then Ejaria intercepted the ball and turned past one challenge, only to direct a curling shot just wide of the top right corner.
The Royals were pressing for the opening goal and Laurent turned away from his man on the left flank to burst into the area along the byline and win a corner as Ward saw his low cut back behind.
Laurent came close to making it 1-0 himself moments later, striding onto a ball down the left, cutting inside and arcing an effort just wide of the right post.
It actually needed some smart work from Rafael to prevent the visitors from stealing the lead just before the break – Reading’s keeper diving at the feet of Mateta as he bore down on the Royals goal.
Half-time: Reading 0-0 Crystal Palace
In the first minute of the second half, Joao nearly bundled himself into a shooting position and won a corner. Then Yiadom won another with a good cross from the right – and this once was fed into the feet of substitute Ethan Bristow who forced a fingertip save from Guaita with a well-struck effort from outside the box.
We tried the exact same thing from the resultant corner and Bristow connected well again, this time taking a deflection to see the ball veer wide of the target.
Michael Morrison was cautioned for a challenge on Ayew as Palace looked to find a breakthrough on the counter. And they earned a great opportunity eight minutes into the second period.
Ward arrowed a low effort past Rafael and against the left post and he won the ball back and chipped a ball back into the danger area. Mateta went to ground and the referee pointed to the spot adjudging the Palace forward to have been dragged to ground at the back post. Mateta stepped up and swept home the spotkick, low to Rafael’s right for 1-0.
Reading looked to level when Yiadom won a corner and Swift’s delivery was nodded goalwards by the towering Morrison but hacked off the post by a Palace leg.
And the Royals were deservedly level when Swift swept a free kick goalwards from 22 yards out and, via a deflection, it flew past the wrongfooted Guaita for 1-1.
But Palace regained the lead through Ayew who broke at pace following a loose pass from Morrison and drilled a low shot at goal that skidded wide of Rafael via a deflection from a Reading boot trying to block it.
The final stages played out without much incident at either end, Palace defending in numbers and keeping possession well against a Reading side who were unable to break through a stubborn Palace back line. But with the very last kick of the game, Scott Banks added a third when he swept a set piece over the Reading wall and into the top right corner of the goal for 3-1.
The result matters little. But next weekend, the competitive action begins at Stoke.
Full-time: Reading 1-3 Crystal Palace
Reading: Rafael, Yiadom, McIntyre (Camara 68), Moore (c), Morrison, Tetek (Bristow HT), Laurent, Swift, Ejaria (Trialist 56), Azeez, Joao (Puscas 56).
Unused subs: Southwood, Holmes, Dorsett, Ehibhatiomhan.
Yellow: Morrison
Goals: Swift 67
Crystal Palace: Guaita, Ward (Clyne 72), Mitchell, Street (Banks 79), Kirby (Tomkins 36), Guehi, Riedewald (Rak-Sakyi 72), Kouyate, McArthur, Mateta (Gallagher 55), Ayew.
Unused subs: Butland, Matthews, Kelly, Tomkins, Hannam, Boateng, Wells-Morrison
Yellow: Street
Red: Kouyate
Goals: Mateta 54 pen, Ayew 81, Banks 90