Victory in our opening group tie
Goals from Jayden Wareham, Kelvin Abrefa and Tyler Sackey were enough to get the Royals' Bristol Street Motors Trophy campaign off to a winning start in RG2.
A youthful Reading side got the game underway to kick off our Bristol Street Motors Trophy campaign for the new season. The first chance of the game would go the game of one of the more experienced players in the Royals line-up, 21 year old Charlie Savage! Picking up the ball from 25 yards out, he would make a clean strike at goal with his left foot, but the low effort was well saved by Finlay Herrick in the Hammers goal.
Shay Spencer would be the next to test Herrick with some clever footwork allowing the debutant an opportunity to strike at goal, but once again the shot stopper was able to prevent the Royals taking the lead.
He was helpless to stop a slick move from Rubén Sellés' side in the 22nd minute however, with Jayden Wareham on hand to notch his first competitive goal of the season in scintillating fashion. Latching onto a sublime through ball from midfield and timing his run to perfection, the young striker made now mistake slotting the ball into the bottom left hand corner to get our EFL Trophy campaign underway!
The lead was doubled just ten minutes later when Kelvin Abrefa notched his first goal of the new campaign. The right back was on hand to collect the ball from Charlie Savage on the right hand corner of the box, and was able to power a drilled finish at goal that was too hot for the keeper to handle - 2-0 to the Royals who were in control of the opening period.
An accomplished half from Reading had it's first blotch when West Ham halved the deficit in the 38th minute. A ball into the area from the right hand side couldn't be dealt with, and a deflected shot agonisingly beat Boyce-Clarke in the Reading goal.
Half-time: Reading 2-1 West Ham U21
The second period saw Rubén Sellés make three changes, with Tivonge Rushesha, Ashqar Ahmed and Tyler Sackey coming on for Charlie Savage, Kelvin Ehibhatiomhan and Ben Elliott respectively.
Adrian Akande was the first to give the West Ham backline some trouble. Picking up the ball from the oncoming Rushesha, Akande would cut inside to fire a right footed effort that fizzed just narrowly wide of the far upright.
Down the other end, good work from Lewis Orford allowed space for Kamarai Swyer to shoot at goal, but he could only skew his effort high and wide.
A back to front attack from the Royals almost restored our two goal lead in what would have been the goal of the game. A pinpoint pass from centre back Abraham Kanu was taken down exquisitely by Akande before he delivered and inviting ball into the box from the left hand side. An expectant Jayden Wareham stretched everything he could to try and toe into the net from eight yards, but he couldn't quite stretch enough and the ball rolled out of play for a goal kick.
Debutant Shay Spencer would make way for Michael Craig just after the hour mark, finishing off an accomplished display on his first outing for the Royals.
Ashqar Ahmed stung the hands of Herrick in the Hammers goal with a left footed effort fired low down to the keepers left.
The victory was complete when substitute Tyler Sackey put the finishing touch on a Reading move that was pleasing on the eye. Good work once more from the impressive Ahmed saw the ball played into the path of Sackey, whose first time right footed effort was angled into the top corner!
The Royals saw out six minutes of injury time pressing for a winner rather than defending their own goal, a testament to a thoroughly professional outing by our young side. Next up in the Trophy, we travel to Cheltenham Town on the 8th October, 7pm.
Full-time: Reading 3-1 West Ham U21
Reading: Boyce-Clarke, Abrefa, Elliott (Sackey 46'), Dean ©, Savage (Rushesha 46'), Ehibhatiomhan (Ahmed 46'), Wareham, Garcia, Kanu, Akande (Osho 75'), Spencer (Craig 47')
Subs: Pereira, Harrison
Goals: Wareham (22'), Abrefa (32'), Sackey (85')
Yellow: Abrefa (14')
West Ham United: Herrick, Robinson (Dolaghan 87'), Casey ©, Luizao, Mayers, Scarles, Orford, Alcpata, Moore (Battrum 68'), Swyer, Ajala (Adiele 68')
Subs: Hooper, Rigle, Tarima, Brown
Goals: Dean (OG) (38')
Yellow: Alcpata (72'), Robinson (87')