Wolves under-21s will have to wait for qualification from Group H of the Premier League Cup following defeat at Reading on Monday afternoon.
Three points at the Select Car Leasing Stadium would have confirmed a place in the knockout stages for James Collins’ side, but it was the Royals who kept their own hopes alive.
Wolves were able to call upon Jackson Smith, Harry Birtwistle, Oliver Tipton, Alfie Pond and Tyler Roberts in Berkshire, who had all returned from the first-team training camp in Marbella to reunite with the 21s.
And it was one of those names, Smith, who was called into action just 11 minutes into the game. Rashawn Scott received the ball on the edge of the area, before shifting it onto his right boot and firing towards goal – Smith reacted superbly with a diving save to palm the ball over the crossbar.
That is a superb save, @jackson141001! 👏#PLCup pic.twitter.com/tKMBH8ZAQW
— Wolves Academy (@WolvesAcademy) December 19, 2022
In a half of few chances, Wolves threatened an opener on a couple of occasions, with Jack Hodnett finding the body of home skipper Louie Holzman after picking the ball up inside the 18-yard box.
However, it was Reading who took the lead just three minutes before the half-time interval. Femi Azeez won the ball back deep in the Wolves half, before playing it to Kelvin Ehibhatiomhan who took a touch inside his man and slotted home with his left foot.
Half-time | Reading 1-0 Wolves
Reading doubled their advantage on 53 minutes when, despite Birtwistle being down on the ground, play continued with Azeez collecting the ball out wide, before playing in Scott who made no mistake when one-on-one with Smith.
Substitute Jack Scott came close to halving the deficit shortly after as Roberts found space in behind and cut the ball back for the Irishman, but there was Reading stopper Coniah Boyce-Clarke to make a vital save on his line.
Substitute Jack Scott goes close to halving the deficit!#PLCup pic.twitter.com/tb94xQPzir
— Wolves Academy (@WolvesAcademy) December 19, 2022
It wasn’t to be the old gold’s day as Noel Hunt’s side added a third with a couple of minutes of normal time remaining. After Adrian Akande was brought down on the edge, Kian Leavy stepped up to score an impressive free-kick to seal the points and inflict a first PL Cup defeat of the campaign on Wolves.
Roberts almost added a consolation in added time, but his header from a Justin Hubner cross was straight at Boyce-Clarke and the goalkeeper was able to preserve his clean sheet.
Full-time | Reading 3-0 Wolves
COMING UP
Wolves under-21s have to wait until next year before they’re next in action, with the rearranged Premier League Cup trip to Sunderland set to take place on Thursday 5th January 2023.
NEXT FIVE
- 05/01 Sunderland (A) PLC
- 08/01 Blackburn (H)
- 13/01 Chelsea (A)
- 18/01 Celtic (H) PLIC
- 23/01 Tottenham (A)
TEAMS
Reading | Boyce-Clarke, Abrefa, Abbey, Holzman, Dann (Paul 79), Senga, Leavy, Scott (Camara 73), Azeez (Osorio 79), Ehibhatiomhan (Melvin-Lambert 90), Akande.
Subs not used | Collins.
Wolves | Smith, Birtwistle (Scott 56), Keto-Diyawa (Hubner 74), Kandola, Tipton, Pond, Roberts, Scicluna, Harkin, Hesketh, Hodnett.
Subs not used | Amos, McLeod, Reynolds.
