Heartbreak at the death against the Brewers
Reading battled back from two goals down, but still fell to a last gasp defeat against Burton Albion on Tuesday night.
The hosts got the game underway on a windy night in Staffordshire, with the Royals attacking towards their supporters in the opening period.
The opening chance of the game went the way of Noel Hunt's side in the seventh minute, with Charlie Savage sending a powerful volley over the bar. Fine link up play between multiple Royals down the right hand side saw Chem Campbell find the Welshman on the edge of the area, but his effort went narrowly over Crocombes bar.
The visitors had made a positive start, and two minutes later Sam Smith had a headed effort deflected wide for a corner that would ultimately come to nothing.
We were made to pay for not taking the chances when Burton took the lead in the tenth minute. A cross from the left hand side saw Rumarn Burrell headed home from six yards out.
In the hunt for a quick response, Smith had another chance to head home from close range after a sublime Lewis Wing cross. Unfortunately Crocombe was in the right place to deflect clear, and in any event the offside flag had been raised.
A breathless opening quarter of an hour came to a close with Noel Hunt's side behind despite enjoying almost all the play.
Harvey Knibbs was the next player to have a go at goal and bring his side level when he sent a half volley towards Crocombe's goal. The keeper was able to deflect clear, but the ball would bobble agonisingly between to waiting Reading players who would have surely pounced to prod the ball home. A melee in the box would end with Savage finding space to shoot on the edge of the box, but his strike would deflect wide.
On the stroke of the half hour mark, Burton doubled their lead courtesy of former Royal Jon Dadi Bodvarsson. A free kick from the right hand side was flicked on to the Icelander, who was there to prod in from eight yards out despite the calls from the visitor's defence for offside.
As had happened after the opening goal, the Royals were close to getting an immediate response, this time from the lively Savage. Kelvin Ehibhatiomhan had the ball at his feet on the left hand side and found the expectant Savage on the edge of the area, but the Welshman's left footed curled effort went just wide.
The first booking of the game was issued to Ehibhatiomhan on 36 minutes for pulling back a Burton player when the Brewers were on the attack.
Smith almost halved the deficit in the 41st minute with a fierce left footed effort after latching onto a searching ball forward from Knibbs, but Crocombe was able to settle his feet and punch the ball clear. Burton would counter attack with pace and a shot on the edge of the area would be well saved by Pereira to prevent it becoming 3-0.
On the stroke of half time Andre Garcia was booked for stopping a Burton attack illegally in the midfield.
The half time whistle sounded to end a disappointing half for the Royals. Noel Hunt's side had enjoyed much of the play, but found themselves two goals down at the halfways stage.
Half-time: Burton Albion 2-0 Reading
Fresh with the words of the coaching team in their ears, the Royals kicked off the second period on the hunt for a route back into the game.
Within the first minute the Royals had the chance of the half after good work between Andre Garcia and Ehibhatiomham on the left hand wing, with the later sending a teasing cross into the box in the direction of Smith - the ball was deflected clear by a defender but the referee signalled for a goal kick.
Ten minutes into the half Burton's McKiernan had a low strike well saved by Pereira from the edge of the area.
The Royals went the closest to scoring in the 58th minute when Chem Campbell rattled the crossbar with a header after a pinpoint left footed cross from Savage on the left hand wing.
A double change for the Royals came on the hour mark when Garcia and Ehibhatiomhan were replaced by Kelvin Abrefa and Mamadi Camara respectively.
The newly introduced Camara was inches away from latching onto a teasing Lewis Wing ball into the box from the right hand side.
In the 65th minute the Royals were once again on the receiving end of a dubious referee decision. A miscued clearance from the Burton defence put Crocombe under pressure with the keeper missing his clearance, but with a scramble ensuing in the box the referee blew for a foul despite it appearing that a Burton defender had impeded the goalkeeper.
Not to be deterred with things going against them, the Royals did half the deficit in the 69th minute courtesy of right back Michael Craig. Substitute Camara picked up on a loose ball in the midfield who found Smith to place a ball across the box, which evaded everyone except the waiting Craig whose left footed strike went in off the post.
Within a minute the Royals had another shout for a penalty waved away when Knibbs was felled within the box. From the resulting corner however, the Royals brought the match level! Savage's deep corner was met by Harlee Dean who headed across goal, with Smith on hand to tap in from a yard.
Burton went close to restoring their lead when McKeirnan fired goalwards from the edge of the area, but Pereira was in the right place to smother into his body.
The breathless game reached the final 15 minutes with it all to play for, and the introduced Abrefa wasn't far away from giving the Royals the lead with a long range effort that went just over the Burton bar.
With three minutes plus added time to go, Jayden Wareham was introduced to the fold in place of Chem Campbell.
Five minutes added time was indicated by the fourth official, and the tie would end in heartbreak for the Royals with Burrell tapping in the winner for Burton at the back post in the 92nd minute of the tie.
The remainder of the match went by with little incident and the referee blew their whistle on a disappointing night in Staffordshire.
Full-time: Burton Albion 3-2 Reading
Burton Albion: Crocombe, Godwin-Malife, Dodgson, Sweeney ©, Webster, Bodvarsson (Bennett 82'), Vancooten, Armer, Burrell, McKiernan (Kalinauskas 86'), Chauke
Subs: Orsi, Bodin, Isted, Williams, Delap
Goals: Burrell (10', 90+2'), Bodvarsson (29')
Reading: Pereira, Craig, Dean, Knibbs, Savage, Ehibhatiomhan (Camara 60'), Smith, Campbell (Wareham 87'), Bindon, Wing ©, Garcia (Abrefa 60')
Subs: Button, Rushesha, Kanu, Holzman
Goals: Craig (69'), Smith (71')
Yellows: Ehibhatiomhan (36'), Garcia (44')