A young Reading side lost 1-0 to Cheltenham Town in the second group fixture of the Bristol Street Motors Trophy at the EV Charger Point Stadium.

Making six changes to the side that beat Fleetwood Town in the FA Cup on Saturday, the average age of the outfield was just 19-and-a-half years old, and the Academy trio of Joe Barough, Boyd Beacroft and Jeremiah Okine-Peters all made first-team debuts in Gloucestershire.

Ultimately, Tom Pett’s strike with 12 minutes remaining was the difference maker against the League Two outfit, with Michael Flynn’s side booking their place in the knockout phase.

The first chance went the way of Reading as Osho drove forward and cut a shot back toward Joe Day’s near post, forcing the experienced goalkeeper to drop low and push the ball around the post for a corner. A half generally starved of action in front of either goal, Cheltenham looked the most threatening with their experienced striker Matty Taylor causing the young backline some problems.

 On 19 minutes, Harrison Sohna sent a powerful header wide of Button’s post and Tom Pett spared the goalkeeper’s blushes but putting his smart lob centimetres wide of the post after his clearance was intercepted. The Royals, with an average age of only 19 and a half, looked smart on the break and should have done better when Osho found Akande in the middle of the six-yard box, only for the winger to fail to get his shot away and the Robins smother any attack. Spencer tried to test Day from distance but could only hit the roof of the stand behind the goal while Taylor followed up at the other end with a misfiring shot of his own.

The best chance of the half came in the final minute as Liam Dulson beat Button with a long-range strike, but he could only find the woodwork.

The second half proved a more exciting encounter, with both sides creating decent chances to hit the net. Akande should have opened the scoring five minutes after the break when he broke free of his defender and was left one-versus-one with Day in goal, only for the keeper to smother at the feet of the forward. Tuma nearly bundled home too on the hour-mark after Charlie Wellens’ ambitious overhead kick fell at the feet of the Malta international.

The Robins saw two efforts put over the bar by Taylor and nearly opened the scoring with 20 minutes left as Button tipped Lewis Payne’s header over the crossbar.

Eventually, the hosts broke the deadlock with 12 minutes remaining as a ball from the left was only partially cleared and Pett fizzed a powerful effort past Button and high into the net.

Next Tuesday, the group stage comes to an end as Newport County visit the Select Car Leasing Stadium. Both on three points, it is a winner-takes-all clash to progress into the knockout phase alongside Cheltenham. 

Returning to League One action on Saturday, a sold-out contingent of Reading supporters are following Ruben Selles' side to Stevenage looking to return to winning ways after last week's 4-1 defeat at Stockport County.