Reading opened up their pre-season campaign with a 2-1 loss to non-league Eastleigh.
This was the first time the Royals got on the pitch since the end of the season and they’ve got plenty of making up to do. Last season they disappointed and came close to being relegated from the Sky Bet Championship. With Paul Clement getting his first pre-season in charge of the club, he will be hoping to change things so they can have a better year this time round.
But fans won’t have pleased with this start that saw them slip to a 2-1 defeat to non-league side Eastleigh. The south coast club made the most of an intercepted pass and were able to feed the ball to former West Ham United striker Paul McCallum who was able to finish it off. Eastleigh were then able to hold onto this lead until the end of the first half.
As is usually the way with friendlies, Reading completely swapped out their team for the second half. And this team seemed to do a lot better as they had a few attacks which could have ended with a goal if luck had been on their side. And eventually they got their equaliser when Leandro Bacuna took a touch before firing his shot onto the post and in. But Eastleigh fired back with the eventual winner as despite Vito Mannone’s best efforts to keep the ball out, former Cambridge United man Ben Williamson was able to tap in.
Reading will be back in action on the 7th July when they face AFC Wimbledon.
