Reading 3 (Tabb 37, Walcott 66, Robson-Kanu 77)Forest Green Rovers 1Reading's reserve team earned a good 3-1 home victory over Forest Green Rovers on Monday evening.
Jay Tabb, Jacob Walcott and Hal Robson-Kanu were our scorers to mark the first game at our new home for the season, Farnborough's Cherrywood Road.
Academy product Frankie Raymond played the full 90 minutes on his first appearance for the reserves, while fellow youngsters John Goddard and Lawson D'Ath made their debuts from the bench during the second half.
Boss Nigel Gibbs said, "I was pleased with the team's attitude and workrate, but a bit disappointed we didn't score a few more to make the win that little bit more comfortable.
"We dominated the first half and should have had a few more after creating some good openings in front of goal. Jay Tabb scored on 35 minutes when he slotted in from a right wing cross and we went in 1-0 up at the break.
"We started the second half a little bit slowly and conceded a goal on the hour, which was disappointing because up until that point the opposition hadn't got in too much.
"But we worked back with a couple of good goals, the first started by Ben Hamer with an excellent side volley after taking a cross. David Mooney then reversed it into the patch of Jacob Walcott and he made it 2-1.
"Then some good interplay on the right allowed Hal Robson-Kanu to make it 3-1 and he finished comfortably.
"As I mentioned, I was pleased with the attitude and the senior boys did well. They combined with a good number of youngsters, Frankie Raymond making his debut and James Rowe, Walcott, Abdulai, Angus and so on."
Reading: Hamer; Davies, Raymond, MacDonald, Pearce; Rowe (Goddard 79), Tabb, Walcott (D'Ath 85), Robson-Kanu; Bell-Baggie (White 74)
Subs: Santangelo, Harding
