Reading reserves 3 (Fashanu 18, 42, Campbell 48)
Cardiff reserves 1 (Thomas 50)

Reading: Young, Soares, Rifat, Mullins, Ingimarsson, Boucaud, Howell, Campbell, Hayes, Savage, Fashanu

Att: 718

The Royals reserves have lifted the Pontins Holiday Combination League trophy after an eventful 3-1 victory over Cardiff City at Madejski Stadium.

The visitors started brightly and almost opened the scoring on eight minutes when Nicky Fish sent a vicious 25-yard shot against the underside of the crossbar.

Then Gavin Gordon forced a good diving save from Jamie Young, and from the resulting corner Joe Ledley headed powerfully goalwards but his own team-mate Stuart Fleetwood diverted the ball wide when trying to apply the finishing touch.

Reading had weathered the early storm, and on 18 minutes Andre Fashanu showed good strength inside the penalty area before being bundled over by Kirk Huggins. Fashanu picked himself up to coolly slot home the resulting spot-kick, giving the Royals a 1-0 lead.

The Royals were on top for the remainder of the first half, and on 30 minutes Simieon Howell turned brilliantly before seeing his long-range shot blocked.

Four minutes later, Jonathan Hayes darted in from the left-wing and laid a pass into Fashanu, who produced an exquisite back-heel flick to return the ball into Hayes' path, but visiting keeper Neil Alexander raced off his line to save well.

Young was forced into a routine save after a good 50-yard run by Anthony Taylor, and with 42 minutes on the clock the impressive Bas Savage showed great footwork before drilling a long-range left-footed drive narrowly wide of the left-hand post.

Just seconds later, Andre Boucaud gained possession in midfield and released Ahmet Rifat down the left. Rifat cut inside before squaring to Fashanu, who showed great composure inside the area to control neatly before guiding the ball into the bottom right-hand corner for a 2-0 half-time lead.

Early in the second half, it was three. Hayes' persistence in midfield won the ball for Fashanu, whose deft touch released Darren Campbell, and the winger's electric pace took him clear of the visiting defence before he smashed a low right-footed shot into the left-hand corner.

Almost immediately, Cardiff pulled one back when a swift move down the middle released Ledley on the edge of the box, and he found the unmarked Danny Thomas who finished easily from 12 yards.

Briefly, Cardiff threatened to get back into the game but the Royals nearly regained their three-goal cushion when a loose ball dropped to Boucaud, who sent a brilliant 30-yard shot arrowing towards the top corner only for Alexander to save superbly.

There were few chances for the next 20 minutes or so, but the game had an extremely eventful close as Cardiff saw two men sent off in the space of five minutes.

First to go was Taylor, who wa somewhat harshly shown a straight red for a late trip on Bas Savage just inside the Cardiff half. Rhys Weston was booked for complaining at the decision, and before long he was also heading down the tunnel after receiving his second yellow, again for a trip on the rampant Savage.

With Cardiff down to nine men and throwing men forward, the last few minutes were extremely eventful. The Bluebirds almost pulled another back when Ledley rounded Young, the keeper got a hand to the ball to push it to Cameron Jerome, and his goalbound effort was cleared off the line by Rifat.

Immediately, the Royals launched a swift counter-attack and Campbell was sent clear, but Alexander saved well and then repeated the feat to block Campbell's second shot from the rebound.

In injury time Fashanu missed two great chances for his hat-trick, firstly heading Savage's cross wide and then picking up a terrible clearance from Alexander but shooting straight at the keeper.

That last chance was the final kick of the game, and it mattered little as the final whistle signalled a 3-1 Reading victory and the Pontin's Holiday Combination League trophy.

The medals were handed out to generous applause from the 718 supporters, before captain Bas Savage stepped up to receive the trophy and proudly parade the latest piece of Royals silverware.

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