Our account of the action for our final PSF against the Swans
In the final action of pre-season ahead of 2023-24, the Royals rounded out their campaign with defeat to Championship side Swansea City.
After a positive showing in the first half, the Royals could feel unlucky to find themselves behind to a Joel Piroe volley.
However, a flurry of quick goals after half-time decided the game, with Harvey Knibbs and Femi Azeez going closest to finding a reply.
It was a slow start at a sunny SCL, with the Royals stringing together several smart passing moves which just lacked that incisive final pass. Femi Azeez was at the heart of these positive attacking movements, with Nesta Guinness-Walker also looking dangerous down the left hand side.
Dean Bouzanis' first real involvement in the game came just after the ten-minute mark, acting with authority to claim a dangerous-looking low cross into the box from Azeem Abdulai. The Australian also did well to get down quickly to a powerful shot from Swans dangerman Piroe.
Some quick thinking from the goalkeeper saw him release the ball down field to find Azeez, who beat his man down the left before pulling the ball to Andy Carroll. Unfortunately, his effort from the edge of the box was valiantly blocked, but it highlighted that the Royals were finding success against the Championship side.
However, it was the away side who found themselves ahead at the 24 minute mark. Abdulai once again drove down the right wing before crossing the ball, which found Piroe via a Guinness-Walker deflection. The marksman made no mistake with his finish, smashing his volley beyond Bouzanis to give the Swans the lead.
The Royals responded well to going a goal behind, keeping up the pressure on their opponents and forcing them into fouls. Such an instance saw a free-kick on the edge of the box, which Charlie Savage floated in and found Azeez, whose headed effort forced Swansea 'keeper Andy Fisher into one-handed flap away from goal.
Despite the home side seeing more of the ball, the Swans did continue to test Bouzanis on occasion, with the 'keeper doing well to react quickly as Piroe attempted to flick a Josh Key attempt on goal backwards.
Reading continued to probe, coming close with successive corners thanks to, you guessed it, Andy Carroll. His first effort from deep within the box was deflected wide to win another set piece. Savage sent the next delivery towards far-post, with Carroll running round to head across goal. This was headed clear, but only as far as Guinness-Walker on the edge of the box, with his drilled effort forcing Fisher into a good save.
The back and forth nature of the fixture continued with more good work down the right from Abdulai, whose lofted ball into the area found an unmarked Jerry Yates. However, the summer signing from Blackpool could only head wide.
The first change of the afternoon saw skipper Andy Yiadom, making his appearance of pre-season, make way for Amadou Mbengue, and it was the right-back who had the Royals' best chance before the half-time whistle, whose effort from the edge of the area sailed just over the bar.
Half-time: Reading 0-1 Swansea City
Swansea soon doubled their lead after the half-time interval, with Piroe doubling his tally for the day. The ball was lifted into the area and found the striker unmarked, who slid his effort under second-half substitute 'keeper Conaih Boyce-Clarke. Two soon became three, with Yates getting in on the action after picking up a loose pass in the Royals area.
The Swans' lead was extended further towards the hour mark, with captain Matt Grimes finding space on the edge of a crowded penalty box and slotting home.
Reading were able to create several opportunities to reduce the deficit, with Azeez working his way down the right before managing to get his shot away which flew just over the target. Knibbs then completed a similar effort on the opposite wing, with the result unfortunately the same for the Royals.
Academy graduates Mamadi Camara, Jack Senga, and Caylan Vickers were brought on and more than held their own against higher-tier opposition, as all 19 members of the matchday squad put more minutes in the tank ahead of the start of the League One season.
Good work from Vickers down the left saw him get the better of veteran Kyle Naughton and put a dangerous ball into the box, but Michael Craig's shot was valiantly blocked. Ultimately, a consolation never materialised as we ended our pre-season campaign with a loss.
Full time: Reading 0-4 Swansea City
Reading: Bouzanis (Boyce-Clarke HT), Yiadom (Mbengue 35), Guinness-Walker, Holmes, Dorsett (Abbey 63), Rushesha (T), Savage (Camara 73), Azeez (Bindon 85), Knibbs (Vickers 73), Ehibhatiomhan (Senga 73), Carroll (Craig HT).
Swansea City: Fisher, Key, Fulton, Cabango, Darling, Grimes, Yates, Ntcham, Piroe, Wood, Abduali.
Subs: Hughes, Allen, Ginnelly, Paterson, B.Cooper, Cullen, Naughton, O.Cooper, Lissah.