Royals striker Sam Smith has been named on six-man shortlist to lift the Premier League 2 Player of the Month award for April 2018.
It was a quiet month for fixtures on the Under-23 front in Reading; our youngsters played just twice. But Smith's fine hat-trick at Madejski Stadium against Stoke City was a highlight, helping the Royals to secure a play-off spot!
The month of April also saw Smith involved twice for our senior squad, most recently as a late sub against Ipswich - his 13th appearance for the first team in the 2017/18 campaign.
You can take another look at an alternative view of the action from our U23 meeting with Stoke - and Sam's hat-trick - below on iFollow.
The other five contenders for the award are...
- Rushian Hepburn-Murphy (Aston Villa) - two goals in a win at Midland rivals Stoke earned the forward a nomination
- Jack Clarke (Aston Villa) - manned the midfield three times in April for the Villans, including wins over Stoke and Blackburn
- Aaron Connolly (Brighton & Hove Albion) - five goals in four winning games for the 18-year-old Irishman see him shortlisted
- Daniel Barlaser (Newcastle United) - featured four times in Newcastle's midfield, including wins against Villa and the Royals
- Marcus Browne (West Ham United) - a four-goal haul against Everton and a winner against Man City the highlights for the midfielder in April
