A gutsy Royals performance was not enough to undo a classy United side that dealt a hammer blow with two goals in two minutes in the first half of tonight's FA Youth Cup tie at the Select Car Leasing Stadium.
The scoreline certainly flattered the visitors at half-time after Reading had created good openings and played some of the better football, but United were clinical with their chances and Aston Greaver's fine low finish proved only a consolation effort for the Royals.
Reading began brightly but the first shot on target came from a United shirt eight minutes in – McNeill driving low and wide of the bottom right corner, Rowley watching it wide without too much alarm.
Hansen-Aaroen took aim moments later, but it was easy for Rowley who smothered it low to his right. But the best chance of the opening period fell to the feet of Clarke at the other end; Okine-Peters making progress down the left and slotting a low cross into the middle where Clarke managed to touch it goalwards but without the power or precision it needed to beat the United keeper.
A similar opportunity fell to Okine-Peters when the ball was cut into the middle from the right moments later, but a United boot got to the ball first to clear the danger on this occasion.
And Reading came close again soon after, Vickers finding space inside the box down the right side and his deflected shot spun across the face of goal and just wide.
But against the run of play, United took the lead. An interception from Reading saw the ball ping between two defenders on the edge of the Royals box and Mainoo nipped in to take the ball onto his left foot and drive wide of Rowley and inside his near post.
It could have been 2-0 were it not for a fine Rowley save to deny McNeill, followed by a brilliant block from Paul to thwart Mather’s follow-up.
And Holzman did very well to get back to deny McNeill a great chance as he sprung the offside trap to race onto a direct ball from the back.
However, Reading were pressing. Fredricson got away with a hand-ball from a Holzman knockdown, after Purcell had floated in a free kick from the right side. The referee waved away Reading appeals.
Then Okine-Peters went on a mazy run that took him into the United box, but his stabbed effort was blocked by a United leg stuck out in hope and the ball ricocheted to Vickers so quickly he couldn’t make anything of the follow-up.
But Reading’s luck was out. Eight minutes before the interval, United’s lead was doubled. McNeill scurried down the right and pulled the ball central for Mather whose low effort deflected off Holzman and past a helpless Rowley.
And moments later it was 3-0. Reading conceded possession in their own half and the ball was worked inside to McNeill, who had time to control the ball and pick his spot past Rowley. The tie was all but over and the scoreline very harsh on a Reading side who had arguably created some of the better openings.
HALF-TIME: Reading 0-3 Manchester United
Greaver replaced Clarke at the break and United broke from a Reading set-piece, looking for a fourth – the visitors winning the ball back with a crunching tackle and McNeill’s threaded ball forward finding Garnacho who put his sot wide of the right post.
United’s keeper, Videk came bursting out of his box to deny Okine-Peters a route to goal and got to the ball second after the Royals youngster got his boot to the long central ball. But he did get a touch to the ball second which was enough to earn him a free-kick to Reading’s frustration.
Vitek was needed twice in quick succession – first to tip Vickers’ cross over the head of Okine-Peters at the back post, then to half-claim a corner which Reading just couldn’t steer goalwards when it dropped. Reading were giving it a go.
United posed a constant threat at the other end and had a goal rightly disallowed for offside when Ennis was flagged as Mather converted from close range.
But Reading kept knocking on the door and Vitek needed to turn a sweeping, looping effort from Purcell over his crossbar for a corner – the midfielder’s cross-shot looked to be dropping in for a moment.
One of the Royals’ brightest sparks, Abrefa, was withdrawn with 20 minutes remaining – the right-back suffering with a knock to his right ankle. And Mather latched onto a clever ball over the top only to drag his shot well wide.
Reading refused to give up and even into the last ten minutes Louie Holzman embarked on a thundering run from the back, storming through the midfield to earn a corner on the left. And from that corner, the Royals deservedly pulled one back. The ball pinballed out to Greaver unmarked on the right side of the box and he hammered a low shot inside the bottom right corner.
Substitute Logan Pye needed to produce a timely challenge to deny Furlong a route to goal as he burst onto a lovely ball through the middle. As the Royals went for broke a gap appeared for Ennis who shot wide on the turn.
Seven minutes of injury time were signalled and tired legs from both sides played into United's hands, as the visitors wound the clock down.
Still Reading came though and Nyarko’s low cross to the near post nearly found Senga but only won a corner that amounted to nothing.
It was a performance that deserved more from the young Royals. But the FA Youth Cup ended at the hands of Manchester United, courtesy of three first half goals.
FULL-TIME: Reading 1-3 Manchester United
Reading: Rowley, Abrefa (Abdel-Salem 71), Paul, Purcell, Kanu, Holzman, Nyarko, Senga, Clarke (Greaver HT), Vickers (Furlong 61), Okine-Peters.
Unused subs: Borgnis, Norcott, Campbell, Beacroft.
Goals: Greaver 82
Manchester United: Vitek, Jurado, Murray, Fredricson, Jackson, Oyedele (Pye 85), Mather, Mainoo, McNeill, Hansen-Aaroen, Garnacho (Ennis 62).
Unused subs: Wooster, Hugill, Aljofree, Gore, Norkett.
Goals: Mainoo 24, Mather 37, McNeill 38
Att: 1,006