READING needed penalties to see off MK Dons and book their place in the third round of the EFL Cup this evening.
Jaap Stam’s side held their nerve when they needed too most and finally see off their plucky opponents from League One, with Danny Williams, George Evans, Stephen Quinn and Jordan Obita all scoring from the spot in a 4-2 success.
This was after the two sides played out an entertaining, but at times frustrating second round contest at Madejski Stadium which was eventually settled from 12 yards after neither team could find a decisive goal following more than 120 minutes of action.
It had looked like a second goal of the night from Callum Harriott would be enough to seal safe passage for a home side with several players struggling from cramp late in the second session of extra time.
However, the drama was not yet finished and a Kabongo Tshimanga leveller moments later for an MK team which had taken a first-half lead – ironically from the spot through Dean Bowditch – ensured this contest went the distance.
This was cancelled out by Harriott’s first goal for the club midway through the second half, but a Reading side packing more experience than their much younger opponents were unable to go on and get the job done.
And while Stam will no doubt be relieved to have the side’s name in the hat for the next round, victory did come at a cost, with Deniss Rakels and Academy product Liam Kelly on his first start for the club being stretchered off with respective injuries.
The boss made 10 changes for the tie, with only Jordan Obita keeping his place from the side which drew 2-2 with Brighton and Hove Albion on Saturday.
Captain Paul McShane, Ali Al-Habsi, Garath McCleary and John Swift were all rested, while Joey van den Berg was sitting out a one-match suspension.
Chris Gunter, George Evans, Roy Beerens, Yann Kermorgant and Danny Williams were all named on a bench containing just six players as opposed to the regulatory seven.
Among the much-changed line-up included debuts for recent arrival Liam Moore, Danzell Gravenberch and Kelly, who became the latest graduate to roll off the club’s Academy hugely successful conveyor belt and in to the senior side.
He would make his first-team bow with a start in midfield.
Also in from the off was Anssi Jaakkola, Jake Cooper, Tennai Watson, Stephen Quinn, Callum Harriott, Joseph Mendes and Deniss Rakels.
Royals began on the front foot and created a number of early openings against opposition which fielded six Academy products of their own and also much-changed from recent outings, with Harriott first to try his luck.
Lee Nicholls in the MK goal, though, was equal to the winger’s low drive.
Gravenberch, amid a neat move down the right flank, let fly soon after only to see his strike blocked off by an MK defender before Kelly, who slotted effortlessly in to a central midfield position, dragging another chance wide from distance.
It was all one-way traffic at this point, yet the hosts received a blow when Rakels was hurt when charging down a clearance over by the corner flag.
The early prognosis did not look good for the Latvian either, who immediately signalled to the bench to be taken off – and would eventually leave the arena on a stretcher following some lengthy treatment for what looked like an ankle injury.
Until now an MK side set up to smother their guests and hit them on the break had forayed beyond enemy lines on just the one occasion.
But they would produce the contest’s best chance just after the 20-minute mark when Oran Jackson let fly from 20 yards, with Jaakkola needed to tip the goal-bound effort over for a corner.
A corner routine straight from the training ground moments later almost yielded an opening goal for the hosts – and a debut one of that for Moore – but the centre half was unable to provide the touch needed to deceive Nicholls from a Cooper knockdown.
But back came Reading once again and some close control from Harriott presented the winger with a sniff of goal.
Although the angle was tight, his drive was on target and would have nestled in the back of the net had Nicholls not diverted the ball away for a flag kick.
For all their endeavor going forward, however, a costly mistake at the back would lead to the deadlock being broken in the 34th minute.
What should have been a routine back pass from Cooper to Jaakkola was woefully under-hit and allowed Tshimanga to profit.
But in trying to nudge the ball past the Royals ‘keeper, the forward was upended illegally and a spot kick was rightfully awarded by referee Charles Breakspear.
In previous seasons’ Jaakkola would have instantly seen red for the challenge, but due to a recent rule change only received a caution.
Responsibility from 12 yards would belong to one of the visitors’ more established players – Dean Bowditch – and he would make no mistake: slamming the ball into the top corner for a 1-0 lead.
Falling behind against the run of play appeared to take the sting out of Stam’s side, yet they were unlucky not to head in at the interval on level terms.
Recycling the ball from a corner, Moore swung over an inviting cross which practically fell on the head of Mendes, but Nicholls thwarted the hosts once more, this time wafting the effort away from the bottom corner and out for another corner.
The second half would begin with Gravenberch flashing a half-chance wide from distance, but with the session still just seconds old Royals would lose another player to injury.
Carried off by the medical staff on this occasion was the unfortunate Kelly, this was after he came off much worse when challenging for an aerial ball with his own player, Jake Cooper.
Royals remained the more purposeful in his absence, but chances of any note were not forthcoming.
The next real attempt was not to be witnessed until the 67th minute – and it was some effort too from Watson, with the full back unleashing a half-volley from outside the box which was dipping under the crossbar, but Nicholls was again not for beating and this time did well to turn the shot away from danger.
It was a strike which woke the majority of the fans out of a slumber, but just seconds later they were on their feet applauding an equaliser of real quality.
Finishing off the move which began out on the right was Harrison, who lashed a first-time strike from the edge of the box, via a Mendes pull back, straight in to the top corner.
It was some strike to open his account for the Royals following his summer switch from Charlton Athletic.
And another new arrival, Mendes, thought he had joined him on the scoresheet soon after. The Frenchman was to get the beating of Nicholls to a cross from the right, but brilliant anticipation from Scott Wootton saw the MK defender acrobatically hook the ball from off the line.
Attempts to find a winner, though, would become fruitless as the fixture neared the 90-minute mark, only for three to pop up in quick succession as eight minutes of stoppage time was announced.
They would all fall to substitutes, too, with Roy Beerens and George Evans unable to find a way past Nicholls, while sandwiched in between was an off-target header from Danny Williams.
Beerens, via a deflection, and then Mendes when well placed, saw even later attempts to snatch victory both end up going on the bar as the pivotal goal remained elusive, meaning extra-time would be needed.
Despite riding their luck at times, a youthful Dons side playing without fear were desperately unlucky not to go back in front early on, with replacement Ben Reeves hitting a bar and Upson striking the crossbar in the same phase of play.
Reeves would again cause a scare after a quick turnaround, but in going for the corner would see his low drive beaten away by Jaakkola at full stretch.
The additional 30 minutes were clearly a struggle for the hosts, with numerous players pulling up with cramp including Cooper, who had to be moved up front as all three substitutes had now been used.
Yet Reading still had enough in the tank to take the lead for the first time in the contest, which was now 114 minutes old.
And it was that man Harrison again, who would stroke the ball home having worked up an opening inside the box.
It was now a case of seeing the game out whatever way possible, but MK were in no mood to bow out on the quiet.
Nicholls was duly thrown forward in an attempt to grab an equaliser, but would watch on as Tshimanga reacted quickest to his own blocked shot by Jaakkola and ensure the contest went the distance.
Harrison was the only Royal to miss from the spot, but with Ben Reeves clipping the crossbar and Jaakkola denying Samir Carruthers, the relieves hosts were celebrating victory.
READING: Jaakkola, Watson, Obita, Cooper, Moore, Gravenberch (Williams 76), Quinn, Kelly (Evans 52), Mendes, Rakels (Beerens 21), Harriott.
Booked: Jaakkola, Moore, Williams
Goal: Harriott 68, 114
Subs not used: Bond, Gunter, Evans, Kermorgant, Williams
MK DONS: Nicholls, Williams, Wootton, Downing, Tilney, Jackson (Reeves 46), Tshimanga, Upson, Rasulo, Bowditch (Carruthers 61), Thomas-Asante (G.Williams 70).
Goal: Bowditch (pen) 34;
Booked: Bowditch
Subs not used: Carruthers, G.Williams, Callum Brittain, Furlong, Burns, Osei-Bonsu.
Referee: Charles Breakspear.
Attendance: 6,848 (361 away).
