Leam Richardson had told his Reading team to take the game to Brentford in Tuesday's Carabao Cup third-round tie. The head coach wanted a positive response after a narrow weekend loss as his side looked to test themselves against Premier League opposition.
Reading came into the match sitting 8th in League One with 10 points from their first six games. Their recent form showed three wins and two defeats from the last five, a sequence that included a 2-0 victory over Notts County last time out. Richardson believed the cup clash was a chance to grow.
"We certainly will attack the game to try and win it," Richardson had said. "I think we'll dust ourselves down after the Cambridge loss and we will come back better for it."
The boss also highlighted the squad's desire to play, a key factor as he considered his selection. "Everybody's itching to play which is important," he added.
Keith Andrews' Brentford presented a formidable challenge, having spent the last five seasons in the top flight and thumping Birmingham City 6-1 in the previous round. Reading had already handled past Bromley and Stevenage to reach this stage.
Jack Marriott, the club's top scorer with eight goals this season, was central to the attacking plans. His double against Notts County showed the threat he carries. The full squad list showed the options available to Richardson for this cup test.
In the match, Reading suffered a 1-2 defeat at home to Brentford.
The report in full is at bbc.com
