Paul Ince's side first home friendly of the summer ended in a 1-1 draw against Premier League West Ham United.
Kicking off back on home turf in the summer sun, some skilful early touches from new signing Tyrese Fornah saw him beat Hammers midfielder Flynn Downes and advance to towards the box as the hosts looked to strike first.
Ovie Ejaria then collected the ball in the middle of the pitch and picked out the run of Tom Ince who was just beaten to the ball by visiting ‘keeper Lukasz Fabianski.
The West Ham back line were then called into action when Junior Hoilett’s cross was flicked away by Kurt Zouma with newly appointed skipper Andy Yiadom waiting in the wings at the back post.
The East London side’s first attack came through Jarrod Bowen, who after cutting into the box, passed across towards former Royal Michail Antonio but Tom Holmes was on hand to scrabble away the danger.
Ince then put in a free kick that very nearly found the head of Tom McIntyre, but the experienced Fabianski was there again to catch the ball.
Good vision from Jeff Hendrick, making his first appearance at the Select Car Leasing Stadium as a Royal, found Ejaria whose pass set up Hoilett but unfortunately his shot went wide.
Following a drinks break due to the high temperature, trialist Sam Hutchinson’s commanding header in the D denied Zouma’s long ball of reaching its intended target of Antonio.
Nikola Vlasic then tried to release Said Benrahma but Joe Lumley was quick off his line and got to the ball before the Algerian international.
Some good link up play between Bowen and Antonio created some space for Benrahma on the edge of the box but he couldn’t get his effort on target.
Hendrick tried to find a break through with a long range shot but the ball deflected wide off the leg of Downes.
At the other end, Vlasic had time on the edge of the box but could only place his attempt over the bar of Lumley’s goal.
Coufal then advanced down the far side and put a ball into box but Hutchinson read it as the evenly matched teams went into the break scoreless.
Half time: Reading 0-0 West Ham United
It was the visitors who had the majority of possession in the opening stages of the second half and broke the deadlock when Bowen cut to the by line and his ball across goal was headed into the far corner by Croatian international Vlasic.
The Royals responded with Ince picking out Joao but the forward could only divert the ball into the hands of substitute goalkeeper Alphonse Areola.
Bowen then played in Pablo Fornals however his effort was well blocked by Hutchinson.
Lumley was then called into action when he did well to tip Bowen’s curling shot around the post with Fornah then bringing the ball away after Downes has flicked on the resulting corner.
Following a flurry of substitutes for both sides, England international Declan Rice then tried one from distance with his shot bouncing back off the post and going wide.
However, the next goal would come at the other end as Yakou Meite brought us back level, converting McIntyre’s cross with a half volley!
Lumley was then required to deny the visitors before Meite almost grabbed a second, but he couldn’t quite get a clean contact on the header from fellow substitute Femi Azeez’s cross.
West Ham then won a couple of corners with the second taken by Aaron Cresswell, and after the initial clearance, a shot came in from Fornals but with a line of bodies in front of him it was inevitable the ball wouldn’t make it through.
With Hammers substitute Divin Mubama seemingly one on one with Lumley, summer arrival John Clarke came out of nowhere to dispossess the forward.
Meite then had the ball in the net after rolling the ball through Areola’s legs but unfortunately it was ruled out for offside.
In the final minute, the returning Shane Long won a free kick in the D with Meite’s shot coming off the wall for a corner, which Rice then cleared, as the match ended level.
Full time: Reading 1-1 West Ham United
Reading: Lumley (GK), Holmes (Abrefa 69’), Hutchinson (T) (Holzman 69’), McIntyre (Clarke 69’), Yiadom (C) (Azeez (60’), Fornah (Leavy 60’), Hendrick (Tetek 63’), Hoilett (Guinness-Walker (T) 63’), Ejaria (Meite 65’), Ince (El-Mhanni (T) 69’, Joao (Long 63’).
Subs: Bouzanis (GK), Abbey, Ehibhatiomhan, Scott.
Scorers: Meite 68’
West Ham United: Fabianski (GK, C) (Areola, HT) , Coufal (Ogbonna 63’), Zouma (Diop, HT), Aguerd (Masuaku 63’), Johnson (Cresswell 63’), Downes (Chesters 63’), Bowen (Ashby 63’), Vlasic (Coventry 63’), Lanzini (Rice, HT), Benrahma (Fornals, HT), Antonio (Mubama, HT).
Unused Subs: Randolph (GK).
Scorers: Vlasic 49’
