ANOTHER SUPER SATURDAY IN RG2!
Noel Hunt's under-21 side battled through into the final four of the PL2 Play Offs at the weekend, with a dominant victory over Nottingham Forest.
It was the third time in four weeks that his young Royals had faced Forest, having a had a 2-0 win chalked off, before a 0-0 draw in the rearranged fixture a fortnight ago.
But an early penalty from Jayden Wareham and a John Clarke brace were enough to settle the tie in our favour this time out.
The game took less than 10 minutes to spring into life, as the Royals were awarded a penalty just seven minutes in.
Carson fired a corner in from the right, which the hosts couldn't deal with, a poor punch out from the Forest 'keeper landed them in trouble, as it fell straight to Louie Holzman, he took a touch before being brought down inside the area, with the referee making no hesitation to point to the spot.
Up stepped top-scorer Jayden Wareham from 12 yards, sending the 'keeper the wrong way as cooly slotted it into the bottom left corner for his 9th PL2 goal of the season.
Five minutes later and there was a chance for a second, with Carson again involved. He floated a free-kick in and it was flicked on by Clarke on the penalty spot, Charlie Wellens touched it down and tried to square it back across the six-yard box, but the subsequent effort was blocked and then cleared away.
A chance nearly presented itself for Jeremiah Okine-Peters shortly after, as a fortunate deflection on the edge of the Forest area kindly fell to him, he took it into the box, before a heavy touch took it away from him to be cleared.
24 minutes in and we hit the corner of the crossbar and the post! Wellens neatly flicked it onto Adrian Akande down the right flank before he fired a long cross across the box to Clarke at the far post, his effort thundering off the woodwork.
But Clarkey made no mistake with his next chance! The northern connection proved fruitful once more, as Carson whipped a corner in from the right and the makeshift left-winger battled against a couple of men to rise highest and head home at the back post to give us a two goal cushion.
Osong got one back for Forest a few minutes later to set up a nervy few minutes before the interval, but we went in ahead at the break.
Half Time: Reading U21 2-1 Nottingham Forest U21
The second half started as a quieter affair, as it took us until the hour mark to fashion our first opportunity, which once again came from a Carson set piece. The Royals won a free-kick 25 yards from goal with the left-bacl stood over it. He went for goal and his effort was destined for the top right corner, only for the 'keeper to get hand on it to just keep it out.
Jack Senga and Basil Tuma entered the action, and the former nearly scored with his very first touch! Akande got onto the end of a loose ball down the right, before beating his man and squaring it to Tuma inside the area, he hit it first time on the turn, but the 'keeper was able to push his effort over.
However two minutes later we restored our cushion and again it was Carson and Clarke linking up. Wellens found himself cornered down the left and laid it off for Matty who's cross took a deflection as it flew into the area, allowing it to drop perfectly for Clarke to once again head home from the six-yard box.
Wellens himself then had a go from a free-kick, but unlike Carson he cheekily went to place it low - firing towards the bottom left corner, but it was again saved. In added time a chance again presented itself to the midfielder, as another wayward clearance landed to him at the edge of the area, he again went for placement over power, but his effort was comfortably gathered up.
Full Time: Reading U21 3-1 Nottingham Forest U21
Reading U21: Boyce-Clarke, Ryan, Carson, Borgnis, Stickland, Holzman, Akande, Wellens, Wareham (Tuma 65'), Okine-Peters (Senga 57'), Clarke (Clark 75')
Unused: Collins, Paul
Cautions: Stickland (90+5')
Goals: Wareham (9'), Clarke (33' & 67')
Nottingham Forest U21: Bott, Thompson (Gardner 76'), McAdam, Hanks (Powell 66'), McDonnell, Abbott, Perkins, Perry (Sinclair 85'), Osong, Konate, Nadin (Newton 66')
Unused: Trialist
Cautions: Konate (41') & McDonnell (80')
Goals: Osong (38')
Attendance: 1,161
Semi-Final details will be announced in due course.