Royals' unbeaten PL2 start comes to an end as visitors prevail
Reading U23s tasted league defeat for the first time this season as they lost out to a Nottingham Forest side who beat Mehmet Ali's youngsters 2-0 at the Select Car Leasing Stadium on Sunday evening.
Midfielder Julian Larsson scored two second-half goals for Forest, one of which coming from the spot, to seal Andy Reid's team a first win of the campaign.
The Royals had the better of a competitive first-half, with lively striker Jahmari Clarke going close to breaking the deadlock on a number of occasions.
Ali's side's first chance came after nine minutes, as Ethan Bristow made headway down the left hand side, before cutting a ball back to Mamadi Camara, who layed Kelvin Ehibhatiomhan off to shoot, but the striker dragged his effort low and wide to Jordan Smith's left in the Forest net.
The visitors went close to taking the lead eight minutes later, as right-back Jayden Richardson's floating cross found Lewis Salmon unmarked inside the area, but the Reds forward couldn't keep his header down as he powered over Harvey Collins' bar.
Clarke had two good chances to put the Royals ahead, but both times Forest survived - on 36 minutes, the striker cut in from the left before fizzing a snap shot narrowly wide from 20 yards, and six minutes later he again came close, as on the edge of the area, he rattled an instinctive effort towards goal, which was inches from nestling in the top corner.
Half-time: Reading U23 0-0 Nottingham Forest U23
Half-time substitute Jeremiah Okine-Peters put Forest to walk ten minutes after the restart, as he met a Claudio Osorio corner with a header that forced a Forest man to control and clear off the line.
Eight minutes post the hour mark, it was Forest who broke the deadlock, as a cross from the right byline found its way across goal to Larsson who was on hand to convert a powerful volley from close range.
Reading almost immediately drew level after 71 minutes, but it wasn't to be as Ben Purcell connected with an attempted clearance by blasting just over inside the box.
Reid's Forest soon had a second, one that they got from the spot following a mistimed challenge from Michael Stickland.
Larsson stepped up on 81 minutes to slot home from the spot, Royals stopper Collins guessed the right way, but couldn't get enough of a hand to the ball to keep out the Swede's effort.
Full-time: Reading U23 0-2 Nottingham Forest U23
Next up for our U23s is a visit from Norwich City, who in just over ten days time will travel to RG2
Reading U23: Collins, Holzman, Bristow (Purcell 46'), Talent-Aryeetey, Stickland ©, Samuels, Ashcroft, Osorio, Clarke (Okine-Peters 46'), Camara, Ehibhatiomhan.
Unused subs: Rowley, Nyarko, Spray
Yellow: Stickland 76'
Nottingham Forest U23: Smith, Richardson, Rama, Fornah (C), Fernandes, Sanders, Larsson, Fewster, Salmon, Konate, Swan (Nadin 66').
Unused subs: Hogarth, Donnelly, Hanks, Gardner
Yellow: Swan 30', Sanders 61'
Scorers: Larsson 68', 81'