The Royals reserves started their Pontins Holiday Reserve Comobination League campaign with an impressive 3-0 victory away to Southampton on Monday night.

Noel Hunt continued his scoring form by notching the opener after half an hour, netting from close range after Nicholas Bignall's shot was parried after he latched onto an Oliver Bozanic pass inside the area.

After weathering some Saints pressure, the second Reading goal came 15 minutes from full time when our sub Kelvin Bossman's cross was diverted by Saints defender Aarran Racine into the back of his own net.

Captain Alex Pearce wrapped things up late on, heading home James Henry's cross from a free-kick..

The game saw three players - Scott Golbourne, Hal Robson-Kanu and Oliver Bozanic - play 90 minutes on their return from injury.

Coach Nigel Gibbs was delighted with his team's display, and told readingfc.co.uk, "We were particularly pleased with the first half, when we played some very good stuff.

"At the start of the second half they had a good spell and we were under pressure, but we defended well and the keeper Mikkel Andersen made some good saves.

"The second goal gave us a nice cushion and the third was a very well worked set piece, with good delivery from James Henry and an excellent header from Pearcey."

Team: Andersen, Kelly, Golbourne, Pearce, Kamdjo, Spence, Bozanic (Frewen 68), Pearce, Robson-Kanu, N Hunt, Bignall (Bossman 74)
Subs: McCarthy, Taylor, Vasilev

Highlights will be showing on our online TV station Reading World later this week.