Our account of the action from our final-day trip to the John Smith’s Stadium
Reading's stay in the Sky Bet Championship came to an end on Bank Holiday Monday in West Yorkshire, with hosts Huddersfield Town taking a 2-0 win.
Josh Koroma and Joseph Hungbo netted each side of half-time for the Terriers; the result was academic, inasmuch as the two sides' fates had already been decided before kick-off, but the Royals were unable to claim any consolation on the final day.
20-year-old goalkeeper Coniah Boyce-Clarke was drafted in for his maiden appearance in the senior team; his inclusion in the starting XI meant he became the 76th graduate of our Academy to make a first-team appearance.
And it wasn’t long before the youngster had to make his first contribution – a quickly taken free-kick allowed Jaheim Headley to whip a cross in from deep, and the Jamaican youth international came a long way to punch clear.
Tom McIntyre kept the ball in play and hooked upfield for Shane Long to burst onto; he exchanged passes with Junior Hoilett before trying to pop a shot goalwards from the edge of the box. It took a nick off a Huddersfield leg, and Cesare Casadei met the looping effort with a glancing header… it dusted the post on its way wide.
With nothing riding on the match for either team, both sides were looking expressive and creative in attack. A bold run from Josh Koroma was eventually blasted over with his left boot, and Casadeu could have rounded off a patient move when he picked up a pocket of space outside the Terriers box, but his swirling shot cleared the bar.
Azeez had a chance to show his raw pace when Long flicked on a straight ball down the middle; a foot-race ensued, and Josh Ruffels did well to make a last-gasp tackle as the Royals forward looked to break free in the area.
And Junior Hoilett was next to have a chance for the visitors; picking the ball up wide left, he shimmed inside of marker Matty Pearson to find room to fashion a shot, but couldn’t get his effort to dip on target.
Boyce-Clarke had to make his first true save shortly before the half-hour; a free-kick from deep on the left by Jack Rudoni was bulleted towards goal off the forehead of Ruffels, but safely gathered by the goalkeeper.
Azeez, who had started the game wide right, snapped onto a loose touch in the centre of the park and drove out to the left flank; he lifted his head up and tried to pick out one of Long or Jeff Hendrick, who were driving into the area, but a low ball flashed across the six-yard box eluded them both.
Huddersfield nearly took advantage of a defensive mix-up; Naby Sarr got the ball stuck under his feet and ended up rushing a short back-pass to Boyce-Clarke, who had to react quickly to slide in and deny Jordan Rhodes a chance to poke in under the bar.
Sarr looked to make an impact at the other end against his former club; Azeez won a free-kick on the right and sent it deep for the defender to attack, but his attempted cross on the volley ended up crashing into the side-netting on the near side. Goalless at the break.
Half-time: Huddersfield Town 0-0 Reading
Within a minute of the restart, Huddersfield's half-time sub Ben Jackson went close to breaking the deadlock. Cutting in off the right apex of the box, he struck powerfully and a matter of inches past the near post.
Town continued a strong start to the second half as Koroma collected the ball from a throw-in routine and curled a shot centrally, which was scooped up by Boyce-Clarke.
But the next attack broke the deadlock. A ball out was snaffled up by Huddersfield, and Koroma dropped a shoulder to burst past a challenge and bent low inside the far post.
Having been on the backfoot for the opening stages of the second half, Reading grew into the game again and applied some pressure to the Town defence; Hendrick looked to finish off a move in spectacular fashion but a deflection off an outstretched leg took it over Lee Nicholls' bar.
Rudoni thought he had scored Town's second when Rhodes hung up a ball from right for the attacker to rush onto... a volley back across goal was destined for the far corner, until Sarr appeared at the critical moment to hack clear off the line.
Jack Senga become Academy graduate number 77 when he replaced Casadei midway through the second half; fellow sub Kelvin Abrefa looked to slide a ball wide for the overlapping Amadou Mbengue, who drilled a first-time effort into the side netting.
Long was almost released on goal by a loose back-pass by Ruffels; the Huddersfield defender was bailed out by teammate Michal Helik, who got a toe to the ball to thwart the attack.
But a second for the Terriers, in the final ten minutes, decided the outcome definitively; space opened up for Hungbo as he glided inside from the right, and he powered an unstoppable shot into the top corner. Unsaveable.
And so our stay in the Championship came to an end with the final whistle.
Last mention goes to the thousands of Royals supporters, who came in their thousands - inflatables and all - in support of their team. A huge 'thank you' to all who have been there through all the ups and downs this season.
Full-time: Huddersfield Town 2-0 Reading
Huddersfield Town: Nicholls, Pearson, Rhodes (Waghorn 68), Koroma (Harratt 88), Ruffels, Kasumu (Hogg 88), Rudoni, Lees ©, Diarra (Hungbo 68), Helik, Headley (Jackson HT).
Unused subs: Vaclik, Edmonds-Green.
Goals: Koroma (48), Hungbo (84).
Reading: Boyce-Clarke, Yiadom © (Guinness-Walker 86), Mbengue, Sarr, Holmes, McIntyre (Dann 79), Hendrick, Casadei (Senga 68), Hoilett (Abrefa 68), Azeez, Long (Camara 86).
Unused subs: Lumley, Abbey.
Yellow: Sarr.