Royals record biggest win since 1901
Reading scored nine goals to make the perfect start to their EFL Trophy campaign away to Exeter City.
Tom McIntyre and a Zak Jules own goal saw the Royals two-up at half-time, before a quickfire double from Paul Mukairu after half time opened the floodgates.
Dom Ballard added two, with Ben Elliott, Caylan Vickers and 17-year-old debutant Taylan Harris grabbing one each to see Reading reach cloud-nine in Devon.
The 9-0 victory is the Royals biggest victory in 122 years.
It didn't take long for the Royals to take the lead, finding the back of the net with the first chance of the game.
Matty Carson delivered a free-kick from a dangerous position on the right of the box towards the back post, and straight into the path of an unmarked McIntyre, who easily slotted home to give the Royals the lead.
Reading could have been two goals to the good within the first ten minutes when Ben Elliott was played through. The Cameroon international's early shot was valiantly blocked and looped high, forcing a goalmouth scramble which the hosts were eventually able to clear.
The Royals continued to dominate the early, with Elliott in particular impressing as Rubén's style of high intensity pressing created several chances.
Caylan Vickers went agoningsly close to doubling the lead after an impressive burst of pace saw him force his way into the box and take a shot across goal, but it could only brush the post on its' way wide.
Carson offered a constant threat on both wings, and would be rewarded for his hard work with a second assist of the evening to double the Royals' lead.
This time coming in from the left, the 20-year-old fizzed a low, powerful cross into the six-yard box that Reading Academy graduate Zak Jules could only turn into his own net.
The Royals continued to threaten but could not find another breakthrough before the half was up - a dominant half from start to finish.
Half time: Exeter City 0-2 Reading
It seemed this young line-up looked to pick up where they left off in the first half, with Vickers' tricky footwork allowing him to feed the ball to Carson, whose cross was spilled by Exeter 'keeper Woods before being hooked away after a split-second where it looked Reading could benefit from the mistake.
Elliott continued to impress, spraying a wonderful cross-field pass to Paul Mukairu, who, after playing a one-two with Vickers, tried to sneak the ball in at the near post, but Woods was equal to it.
Mukairu would more than make up for this missed opportunities in the following minutes. First, some more good work from Vickers found the Nigerian in the box. He didn't rush his shot, taking a touch to set himself before curling the ball into the top right to add a third for the Royals.
Just minutes later, the winger added his second, and Reading's fourth. Vickers was once again the provider, playing him into the box, with Mukairu doing the rest by nestling a lovely finish into the back of the net.
The Royals were on a roll, with their dominance continuing. Three changes did not affect the momentum, with Dom Ballard making an instant impact. Space at the far-post was once again on offer, and Ballard poked home from close range for the on-loan striker's first goal for the Royals.
With their tails up, the Royals were not letting up. Elliott finally got in on the action after playing a starring role all game, with Ballard turning the creator as he rolled the ball across to the midfielder, whose smart finish wrongfooted Woods and dribbled over the line.
City had been hit for six, but it did not end there.
17-year-old Taylan Harris had been introduced for his senior Reading debut, but burst into the box as if he had made more than one hundred appearances. He sold the defender a dream, they took it, allowing the debutant to cut onto his other foot and place his finish into the bottom corner.
Harris had marked his debut in the perfect manner. His rhyming namesake Caylan Vickers must have felt left out at this point, with his name not currently on the scoresheet - he made sure to put that right.
Vickers had gone close on a number of occasions, which made his eventual goal even sweeter. He twisted and turned his way around the Exeter defenders to create enough space to get a shot off, which nestled into the top of the net for a well-deserved second professional goal.
The Reading fans pleas for another goal had been met to this point, so it would have been rude to ignore the chants for nine. Ballard had the pleasure of delivering, finishing from close range to cap off his cameo with two goals and two assists.
There was disbelief amongst the faithful fans who made the long trip down to Devon on a Tuesday night. Their decision to make the journey was more than justified by the Royals' biggest win in 122 years, and three points to start our EFL Trophy campaign.
Exeter City: Woods, Jules (Edgecombe 60), Scott (Cutler 60), Watts (Stanford Daniels HT), Cox, Taylor © (Cunningham 72), Fitzwater (Joce 72), O'Connor, Beardmore, Borges, Richards.
Subs: MacDonald, Oakes.
Yellow card: Stanford Daniels 49
Reading: Boyce-Clarke, Elliott (Harris 82), McIntyre © (Dorsett 70), Dean, Mukairu (Knibbs 63), Wareham (Ballard 63), Mbengue (Abrefa 63), Craig, Rushesha, Vickers, Carson.
Subs: Pereira, Tuma.
Goal: McIntyre 3, Jules OG 32, Mukairu 56, 60, Ballard 67, 90+6, Elliott 79, Harris 85, Vickers 90.
Yellow card: McIntyre 47