Reading came from behind to pick up their first Vertu Trophy victory of the season, a 3-1 win over 10-man West Ham United Under-21s at the Select Car Leasing Stadium.
Falling behind in the first half, Jacob Borgnis, Mark O’Mahony and Jeremiah Okine-Peters netted in the final half an hour to earn a fourth successive home victory in all competitions.
Noel Hunt made 11 changes from the side that drew 1-1 with Stockport County on Saturday, with six Academy graduates starting.
A first-half with little in the way of goalmouth action, the Young Hammers took the lead with the only prominent chance of the half, Callum Marshall converting from close range.
Reading struggled to build much momentum and Thomas Wooster remained untroubled before the break. Mark O’Mahony had a half-chance on the turn but the assistant referee ended any effort early by raising the offside flag. Ben Elliott skewed a strike well wide from distance and Jeremiah Okine-Peters was unable to convert at the back post from Kelvin Abrefa’s cross.
A much more eventful second period had its first twist inside two minutes when Kirsty Dowie awarded the Royals a penalty. Reading pressed well and won possession on the edge of the Hammer’s penalty box. Okine-Peters drove into the box and was brought to ground by Ezra Mayers. The defender was shown a red card for denying a goal-scoring opportunity and Kelvin Ehibhatiomhan was given the chance to level the scores from the penalty spot.
Stepping up just days after his 100th Royals appearance, the forward was foiled by Wooster, who held the attempt low to his left-hand side.
Reading enjoyed playing against the ten men and looked the more threatening throughout the second half. Shay Spencer curled wide from the edge of the box in a warning shot, but it was shortly after the hour-mark at the scores were eventually levelled.
Earning a free-kick wide on the attacking left, John Ryan curled a delightful cross into the box and Borgnis was on hand to slam into the back of the net after bobbling around in the crowded penalty area. A first start for the club, Borgnis made it two goals in two home matches after scoring for Peter Scott’s Under-21s side against Newcastle United on Friday night.
Mark Robson’s Young Hammers- who had beaten MK Dons 5-1 in their first match- enjoyed a revival in the closing stages.
Marshall was denied a good chance to grab a brace by the offside flag while Czechia international and first-team double centurioun Tomas Soucek forced a good save out of Jack Stevens at his near post.
Ultimately it was the tale of two penalties, however, as Sean Patton was upended in the penalty box with barely two minutes left on the clock and Mark O’Mahony stepped up and confidently converted his first goal for the club since arriving on loan from Brighton and Hove Albion in the summer.
West Ham pushed hard for an equaliser in 13 minutes of stoppage time, but the Royals navigated the pressure expertly and added gloss to the victory as Jeremiah Okine-Peters slammed home a third after a clever pass from Mark O’Mahony.
It could have been four in the final minute as Ben Elliott clattered the post with an effort from the edge of the box.
The Royals now head into next Tuesday’s final group stage clash with MK Dons with their chances of progression into the knockout phase in their own hands.
