Reading 2 (Mooney 10 (pen), Antonio 71)
Southampton 0
Reading's reserves secured a comfortable 2-0 win over Southampton at Madejski Stadium on Tuesday afternoon, David Mooney and Michail Antonio on target for the Royals.
Mooney won and converted an early penalty, and Antonio sealed the win in the second half with a close range header after Mooney won the first challenge and flicked goalwards.
Southampton 'keeper Bartosz Bialkowski kept the score down, and three times he denied Jobi McAnuff a goal on his first appearance in a Reading shirt.
He also thwarted Mooney on a number of occasions, while a Scott Davies thunderbolt rattled the crossbar very late on.
As well as the result, there was positive news with winger McAnuff getting an hour under his belt, while skipper Ivar Ingimarsson played another 70 minutes at the back.
Reading had the Kelly brothers Julian and Oliver in their starting eleven, while our centre back Matt Mills lined up against his younger brother Joseph, who played for Saints.
Reading (4-2-3-1): Hamer; J Kelly, Tabb, Ingimarsson (c)(MacDonald 69), Mills (c); Davies, O Kelly; Antonio, McAnuff (Walcott 61), Bell-Baggie (Rowe 88); Mooney
Subs: Locke, Raymond
First half
We lined up using our 4-2-3-1 formation, Jobi McAnuff taking up a position as our left-sided forward in behind David Mooney. Hal Robson-Kanu was a late absentee through injury and Oliver Kelly took his place in midfield.
Reading started positively, and debutant McAnuff was close to an early goal in his fledgling Royals career. Mooney slipped him in down the left with a nice pass, and the former Watford man's cross/shot was deflected just wide.
Next Reading got in down the opposite flank, Michail Antonio doing well to beat his full back and get in an inviting whipped cross that David Mooney headed narrowly over.
We continued to press, and got our reward in the tenth minute. Jobi McAnuff played a good ball to allow Mooney some space in the box, and the Irishman went down under a sliding challenge. Mooney dusted himself down to stroke home the penalty right footed into the corner, sending Saints number one Bartosz Bialkowski the wrong way.
We were well on top, and in the space of two minutes Antonio headed Scott Davies' cross just over and Mooney almost took advantage of some hot-headed goalkeeping as Bialkowski rushed out of his goal. Next to go close was McAnuff as he raced on to Ben Hamer's excellent goal kick but Bialkowski did enough and made a decent save.
Reading were enjoying themselves, and just past the half hour they pieced together a lovely move. Mooney released Julian Kelly down the right, and the full back got in a nice low cross. Davies rushed on to it, but cleverly dummied for McAnuff and once again Bialkowski had to be alert to deny the winger as he struck a powerful shot from 12 yards out.
Just before half time Mooney tried his luck once more, and he got a good connection on Julian Kelly's low pass but it was too close to Bialkowski and he was able to smother.
Second half
Southampton were a little more solid in the second period, but they still struggled to get forward or threaten Hamer.
Just before the hour we put together another superb team move, this time starting from Matt Mills at the back as he showed excellent ability to work some space. We played the ball through a number of men and Mooney was unlucky not to score as his effort was saved by his nemesis Bialkowski; the flag up anyway as he headed Antonio's cross.
Abdulai Bell-Baggie then showed great technique with a long range effort but Bialkowski was just about equal to it.
As the clock ticked down boss Nigel Gibbs gave two of our experienced players a breather, Jobi McAnuff coming off on the hour and Ivar Ingimarsson withdrawn ten minutes later.
Just after Ivar came off we made it 2-0 and the lively Antonio had his reward. A left wing corner came to Mooney ten yards out, and he looped up a header as the 'keeper came out and attempted to punch clear. It dropped to Antonio, who nodded in from a yard out as Saints claimed a foul in vain.
It was almost 3-0 five minutes later, Davies almost snapping the bar in two after hitting a rasping shot from Mooney's one two, Bialkowski only a helpless spectator.
Overall it was a good afternoon's work for the Royals, both in terms of the result and also the opportunity to give a number of our recovering players good time on the pitch.
Look for highlights on Reading FC Player later this week.
