Reading 0
Stevenage 1 (Charles 20)

A well-below-par Reading went out of the FA Cup to League One Stevenage at Madejski Stadium.

A deflected Darius Charles effort was the difference, and credit must go to the visitors - they showed why they have only lost one game in 14 and are in the play-off places in their division.

We simply never got going, and our best chance fell to lively sub Michail Antonio but he mishit his effort wide on the hour.

Stevenage had chances to score more than one, and Federici made a brilliant low save late in the game. A second goal would not have been unfair on them.

The game was far more scrappy than we would have liked - and we simply did not play well enough to take anything from the game.

After consecutive FA Cup quarter finals it's hard to be too tough on our team - they will know themselves they were not up to scratch against a good side.

Reading (4-4-2): Federici; Cummings (D'Ath 87), Harte, Gorkss, Pearce; Leigertwood, Tabb (Antonio 53), McAnuff (c), Robson-Kanu; Church, Le Fondre (Manset 64)
Subs: Andersen, Mills, Morrison, Gunnarsson
Booked: Le Fondre (foul 36)

Stevenage (4-4-2): Day; Henry, Laird, Ashton, Roberts (c); Byrom, Bostwick, Wilson, Freeman (Harrison 72); Beardsley (Edwards 89), Charles (Shroot 82)
Subs: Julian, Long, Cowan, Thalassitis

Attendance: 11,295 (1,826 away)

Ref: N Miller

Starting XI team news:
Reading made three changes; Noel Hunt and Jimmy Kebe were out injured so Adam Le Fondre and Hal Robson-Kanu came in, while the patient Jay Tabb was brought into midfield. With seven subs in the FA Cup, Brynjar Gunnarsson, Sean Morrison and Academy player Lawson D'Ath were named among our subs.



First half:
Stevenage had the first notable effort, and Adam Federici had to make a very good save from Lawrie Wilson, with Luke Freeman having done really well down the left to get his cross in.

Adam Le Fondre and Simon Church then combined well outside the box but the Welshman's shot was deflected wide. Down the other end Federici had to save from Chris Beardsley.

The visitors took the lead midway through the half, and to be fair it had been coming, they had started the game the better of the two sides. They pinched possession in our half, and it was played infield to Darius Charles - his effort beat Federici either with the aid of a deflection or as a mishit and either way there was nothing our 'keeper could do.

We looked for a response, and Jay Tabb was very close to scoring from outside the area but it went just wide. Stevenage were playing very well though, and Joel Byrom was close with a drive from 20 yards.

Charles really should have made it 2-0 on 35 minutes following a right wing cross - it dropped invitingly at his feet but he blazed well over. Reading simply didn't get going before the break and the visitors deserved their interval lead.



Second half:
Adam Le Fondre had a decent drive palmed away by Chris Day on 47 minutes - it wasn't a great chance but did lift our spirits slightly going into the second period.

We were soon forced into a change, Tabb off with an injury, Michail Antonio on in his place and Jobi McAnuff moving into the middle.

Antonio almost made an immediate impact, and really should have done better from Church's knockdown but mishit a good chance wide. It would prove to be crucial.

Then Lawrie Wilson had a great opportunity. Freeman, excellent on the left wing, dinked in a cross and had Wilson not headed straight at Federici it would surely have been a goal.

Next to try his luck was Beardsley, but he shot wide after a good turn on the edge of the box. Mathieu Manset was soon introduced for the Royals in place of Le Fondre. Reading were trying to get back into it, and Antonio looked the most likely source but Stevenage were resolute.

With five minutes to go Federici made an absolutely brilliant save down to his right. It really was some stop from a thunderous effort.

Federici himself went up for a late corner, but to no avail. Lawson D'Ath made his late debut as a sub, which was a small positive, but when Manset dragged wide in injury time the game was up.

We were nowhere near our best, and it was of course a disappointing afternoon as Stevenage celebrated with their 1,800 fans at full time.