Reading 0
Preston 1 (McGreevy 73)
Reading have exited the FA Youth Cup at the third round stage after losing 1-0 to fellow Championship side Preston North End at Madejski Stadium on Friday evening.
Eamonn Dolan's side gave all they had, but Preston enjoyed the majority of possession and got their rewards with a second half goal from striker Ryan McGreevy.
PNE played well and had two great chances either side of the interval, but just before McGreevy's goal our sub Jake Taylor was inches wide after a cracking run.
We came to life after Preston's strike, and Gary Frewen then Clovis Kamdjo both looked odds on to score but neither was able to hit the target from very close range.
In the end Preston stood firm to go through, and brought an end to our Youth Cup dreams for this season.
Reading: Locke; Joyce (White 58), Seymour, Cox, Kamdjo (c); Goddard (Baggie 77), Raymond, Walcott, Frewen; Bossman, Vasilev (Taylor HT)
Subs: Mitchell, Stockinger
Preston: Cudworth; McLaughlin, Quirk; Collins, Smyth (c);
A Barton, Miller (Owens 82), Mayor, Hart; Dougan (J Proctor 70), McGreevy
Subs: B Proctor, K Barton, Davidson
Ref: N West
Full report
The match was delayed by 30 minutes because Preston's coach broke down en route, and the game also took a while to get going on a rather chilly evening.
Just before the 20 minute mark PNE had a goal disallowed, and it looked a tight decision against the visitors.
The game then sprung into life, and the Whites' Adam Barton just overran a great chance as he tried to go round keeper Simon Locke but was crowded out. And from the resulting corner Locke made a superb close range save.
The visitors' Sam Hart headed over a brilliant chance from just a couple of yards out, and they had enjoyed the majority of possession as we too often looked for an early pass and had a fair amount of defending to do.
Second half
PNE were again very close to scoring just beyond the hour mark when Neil Dougan was a couple of inches away from a low cross with the goal open in front of him.
On 71 our sub Jake Taylor went on a cracking incisive run from the right, dancing past a couple of challenges and shooting only a foot wide - very unfortunate indeed.
To add insult to injury, PNE took the lead just moments later. Danny Mayor ran forward and was given space to shoot - forcing Simon Locke into a good save - only for frontman Ryan McGreevy to stab home the rebound.
We had a cracking chance to level a minute later, Gary Frewen heading wide from just inside the six yard box after good work by sub Andrew White down the right wing.
Then somehow Clovis Kamdjo failed to make contact on Kelvin Bossman's strongly-drilled low cross, the goal gaping as he looked certain to turn home. Perhaps teammate White was just in Kamdjo's eyeline because it looked for the world like he would level matters.
We regrouped and kept pushing though, and Bossman's shot almost slipped through keeper Jack Cudworth's grasp - only to roll a foot wide of the post.
The kitchen sink came out as we threw everything forward late on, but to no avail as PNE took victory.
The visitors deserved to win - but if Reading had started the game with the same urgency and drive that they finished it with, the result could well have been different.
Look for full highlights on Reading World early next week, as well as a picture gallery and match reaction.
