Ruben Selles made eight changes from Saturday’s 1-1 draw with Birmingham City, including giving four debuts from the start. However, the youngsters struggled in the first half and Danny Cowley’s side deservedly took a two-goal lead through Tom Hopper and Jack Payne Charlie Savage and Lewis Wing scored tremendous goals in the final 25 minutes to take the game all the way, but Kelvin Ehibatiomhan and Amadou Mbengue saw their spot kicks saved. It took just three minutes for the fourth-tier hosts to open their account, deservedly so after a dominant start.
After a series of corners and crosses, Jack Payne’s cross was flicked into the net by Hopper. Keeping their foot on the gas, it could have been worse within 10 minutes as Dean was dispossessed on the edge of the penalty box. Thankfully for the visitors, chances were smothered, and the attack came to nothing.
The only respite the Royals got in the first half was a short stoppage on the 20-minute mark after the sprinklers bizarrely went off in the middle of the action. It took 22 minutes for Reading to have their first attack of any kind, Knibbs mistiming his shot and the U bringing the ball away from danger. Teenager Kanu endured a half-hour to forget after being booked for a tackle early on and given a final warning on 32 minutes after being deemed to haul back a Colchester forward.
Selles had seen enough and replaced the defender, with New Zealand international Tyler Bindon brought on in his place. Still young and suffer.