The Royals rounded off their pre-season schedule with a 2-1 defeat Premier League Brighton & Hove Albion at the Select Car Leasing Stadium this afternoon.
The visitors created the first chance of the game when Danny Welbeck collected the ball in the middle of the park and drove towards Joe Lumley’s goal however the ‘keeper got down well to his near post to deny the former England international.
Tricky feet from Leandro Trossard opened up some space for the midfielder to find Moises Caicedo, but his flash shot went wide of the post.
Solly March then cut the ball back from the byline, but his cross rolled across the face of goal, however Tariq Lamptey kept the attack alive and his ball into the box was headed in by Pascal Gross for the opener.
Following a drinks break the referee got play under way again as the Royals went in search of an equaliser.
A ball over the top was chased down by Yakou Meite but Seagulls skipper Lewis Dunk just about managed to get the ball back to ‘keeper Robert Sanchez.
Welbeck then won the ball off Ovie Ejaria on the edge of the box, but his tame effort was blocked.
In a half of few chances, most of the play had been in the middle of the pitch as the Royals went into the break a goal behind.
Half time: Reading 0-1 Brighton & Hove Albion
Welbeck then set up March on the edge of the box and the midfielder scored Brighton’s second with a well hit shot into the far corner.
Tom Ince then picked out Meite on the edge of the box, with the Frenchman playing the ball across to Junior Hoilett, whose first-time cross was blocked but the ball rebounded back to the Canadian international who earned his side a corner when Webster intercepted his ball across goal.
At the other end, Trossard received the ball out wide and despite cutting into the box, his cross was well dealt with by the alert Sam Hutchinson.
A miss placed pass from Sanchez was intercepted by Meite, who rolled the ball across to Ince however he was brought down by Alexis MacAllister and the referee had to point to the spot.
Meite then got the Royals back in the game, sending the Sanchez the wrong way, to net his fourth goal of pre-season.
Hoilett was then pulled back, earning a free kick, with Tom McIntyre finding the head of Meite however the forward was unable to divert his effort on target whilst under pressure.
Jeff Hendrick then did well to dispossess substitute Enock Mwepu on the edge of the box as the visitors looked to get back on top after a good spell of possession by the hosts.
Trossard then found MacAllister on the edge of the box but his first time effort was well caught by Lumley.
MacAllister then whipped a free kick into the six-yard box with the aim of finding a crimson shirt however Lumley was equal to it again before Hutchinson blocked a Mwepu shot.
Meite then went close to getting us back on level terms when his long-range effort stung the palms of Seagulls substitute ‘keeper Jason Steele.
Maupay then held off Hendrick and got his shot away but Hutchinson was there again to block the effort before Ejaria brought the ball away.
With more minutes in the legs, the focus will now turn to our first Championship match of the season away to Blackpool in a weeks' time.
Full time: Reading 1-2 Brighton & Hove Albion
Reading: Lumley (GK), Holmes, Hutchinson, McIntyre, Yiadom (C) (Abrefa 86’), Fornah (Joao 55’ (El Mhanni 86’)), Hendrick, Hoilett (Guinness-Walker (T) 77’), Ejaria, Ince, Meite (Azeez 77’).
Subs: Bouzanis (GK), Leavy, Clarke.
Scorers: Meite 59’ pen
Brighton & Hove Albion: Sanchez (GK) (Steele 71’), Lamptey (Nwepu HT), Dunk (C) (Clarke 71’), Veltman (Webster HT), Cucurella (Duffy 71’), March (Undav 71’), Caicedo (Lallana 71’), Gross (Mitoma 71’), MacAllister (Alzate 71’), Trossard (Enciso 71’), Welbeck (Maupay 71’).
Unused Subs: McGill (GK), Sarmiento, Ferguson, Van Hecke.
Scorers: Gross 19’, March 47’
