Reading manager Ruben Selles admitted his young and inexperienced side were still too “powerful” for League Two Fleetwood in their 2-0 FA Cup first-round victory.
The League One Royals went in front three minutes into the second half through skipper Tyler Bindon and doubled their advantage in the 86th minute. Jayden Wareham claimed the goal but the crucial final touch was adjudged to have come off Town substitute Mipo Odubeko.
“We were powerful from the beginning and always had the game where we wanted,” Selles said.
“We played within ourselves, even when we were under pressure.
“We scored two goals and we had some other chances where we could have closed the game out a little earlier. All in all, it was a really good performance.”
Tivonge Rushesha, 22, was Reading’s oldest outfield player and Selles continued: “We don’t give minutes to our youngsters just because we want to give them minutes. We give minutes to them because they are working very hard in training and we can then expose them to the next level.”
Charlie Adam, the Fleetwood head coach and former Reading midfielder, said: “It feels a bit disappointing to be out of the cup.
“Coming away from home, with Reading doing well in their league and having good players and a very good coach, I’m still disappointed to lose. It was a long way for the supporters to travel too.
“I thought we contained Reading but ultimately it was two set-plays that cost us.
“It doesn’t matter at what level you are, if you switch off and you don’t defend your box well then obviously you get punished. And we did that today.
“Reading had a lot of the ball, they had good patterns, but they never really opened us up. It was us who did that, we caused ourselves our own problems.”
