Reading 4 (Bignall 1, 2, 42, Harper 36)
Brighton 0

Reading's second string raced into a four-goal first half lead and then sauntered to a comforable victory in a better-contested second half against Brighton at Madejski Stadium this afternoon.

Nicholas Bignall scored a hat-trick - the first two arriving in the first couple of minutes courtesy of assists from Dave Mooney and Marek Matejovsky, who played an hour on return from an ankle injury.

James Harper added a third by converting a Mooney cut back and the Irishman set up a fourth goal, Bignall's third before the break.

In the second half, Reading rarely looked troubled and could have added more if efforts from James Henry, Bobby Convey and Kalifa Cisse had found their way past Brighton keeper John Sullivan - but 4-0 it stayed.

A full match report from the match is below, and highlights from the game will be on Reading World later this week.

Reading: Andersen, Kelly (Spence 72), Golbourne, Pearce, Cisse, Harper (Antonio 58), Matejovsky (Bozanic 58), Henry, Convey, Bignall, Mooney
Subs: McCarthy, Bossman.

Brighton: Sullivan, Cook, Okimo (Brencher 64), Hinshelwood (Rowe 60), Dunk, Loft, Fraser, Lewis, Chamberlain, Gatting, Robinson
Subs: Pelling, Upton, Thomson.
Yellow cards: Fraser

Full match report

The Royals raced into a dominant early position with two goals in the first two minutes, both scored by striker Nicholas Bignall.

The first came in the opening minute when David Mooney crossed from the left and Bignall slid in at the far post to convert.

Seconds after the restart Marek Matejovsky won possession in midfield and angled a perfect through ball into the path of Bignall, who finished past John Sullivan in the Seagulls goal.

After that explosive start, the game settled down with the Royals controlling possession but Albion looking pacy on the break.

Chances were limited in the next half hour, but the third goal duly followed with another assist for Mooney, who showed good footwork down the left to cut back for James Harper to apply a simple finish.

Seconds later left back Scott Golbourne powered into the area to receive Mooney's lay-off and force Sullivan into a near post save, before Mikkel Andersen made a good diving parry from Jake Robinson to preserve his team's 3-0 lead.

Bignall completed his hat trick in style shortly before the break, running onto another excellent pass from Mooney and curling a left footed strike into the far corner.

Mooney nearly added another of his own before the break, receiving Bobby Convey's pass and opening up his body to curl a right footed effort narrowly wide.

Nine minutes after the interval and Bignall worked a chance to earn a fourth - the striker collected the ball from Harper on the edge of the area, turned, touched it onto his left foot and whistled an excellent 20 yard effort just wide of the left stanchion.

James Henry's corner just before the hour was half punched clear by John Sullivan but it fell to Kalifa Cisse, who scuffed a first time effort harmlessly wide of the right post.

At the other end Mikkel Andersen was rarely troubled - tipping over a looping Jake Robinson header that may have dropped under his crossbar if left alone.

The second period was being much more closely contested and although Bobby Convey smashed a couple of well-hit efforts just over the crossbar, Reading were finding it harder to create clear cut opportunities.

With only 20 minutes remaining, Mooney turned away from the left corner to lay it back to Henry, who had adopted a central midfield position to accommodate for a couple of substitutions. He took a touch in front of him and drove a good low attempt agonisingly wide of the bottom left corner.

A triallist from Tooting & Mitcham, Michail Antonio, initially found it hard to get into the game but did supply a good cross from the right which Convey almost managed to direct on target at the far post.

And then with ten minutes left on the clock, Antonio produced a clever backheel from the right flank which allowed Spence to send Mooney towards the byline. He cut it back for Convey but the ball was just behind the US winger and the move came to nothing.

Minutes later Bozanic picked himself up from a foul that wasn't given and slid in Bignall. From a tight angle Bignall drove left-footed but it didn't pack enough punch to trouble Sullivan low at his near post.

More joy down the right for Antonio saw him feed Spence inside him and he touched it onto Mooney. With more time than he imagined, Mooney's first touch didn't set himself well enough to strike at goal and the Irishman was harried out of possession before he could shoot.

Henry had a low powerful effort easily saved by Sullivan and then in the dying stages should perhaps have slid Bignall in, when instead shooting low and wide of the right post.

In injury time, Antonio led the break from a Brighton corner and was clattered to the ground 25 yards out in a central position. Henry curled the set piece around the post and the keeper calmly pushed it wide before the referee blew for full time.