Reading FC Royals made it two pre-season wins from three on a sweltering afternoon in Surrey, but had to do without a couple of centre-forwards. The Royals’ third match of the summer ended 2-0 at Woking on Saturday, 26 Jul 2026, with second-half strikes from Tyler Sackey and summer arrival Jacob Brown sealing the points.

What happened on the pitch?

Reading started strongly, pressing Woking early and forcing the hosts into defensive blocks. Paddy Lane opened the scoring move on the left before Sean Patton forced a smart save from the goalkeeper. A clever free-kick routine involving Charlie Savage set up Liam Fraser, but his effort was blocked on the edge of the box. Woking nearly equalised before half-time when a low cross reached a striker at the back post, only for the ball to cannon off the woodwork.

Reading upped their intensity in the final 20 minutes before the interval. Daniel Kyerewaa forced two saves from close range, while Tyler Sackey finally broke the deadlock on 54 minutes. Brown doubled the lead late on, slotting home after a neat one-two with Sackey to cap a controlled second half.

Who played and who’s missing?

Leam Richardson split his squad into two XIs for the afternoon. The first 55 minutes featured Stevens in goal with Ahmed, O’Connor, Ward and Lane in defence, Fraser and Savage in midfield, and Williams, Stokes, Kyerewaa, Patton up front. Osho replaced Stokes at the break, moving to the right wing as Williams dropped into the 10 role.

The second period saw Pereira start in goal with Godwin-Malife, Beacroft, Duah and Dorsett in defence, Wing and Rinomhota in midfield, and Lisbie, Sackey, Osho and Brown in attack. Jones replaced Osho late on, swapping wings as Richardson pushed for a third goal.

Two key forwards were absent. Haydon Roberts and Kelvin Abrefa watched from the stands with injuries, while Richardson confirmed Jack Marriott is also injured and Kelvin Ehibhatiomhan is set to leave the club.

Why the win matters for Reading

The Royals sit 12th in League One after the 2025 table, six points clear of the relegation zone and 40 points behind Lincoln at the summit. Their recent form reads LLDDL with zero wins in the last five, including a 0-1 loss at Blackpool on 2 May 2026. A positive pre-season run keeps the pressure off Richardson’s shoulders as the squad edges toward fitness targets.

Goals this season stand at 64 scored and 60 conceded, a +4 goal difference that Reading will hope to stretch when the league curtain rises. The win at Woking, a club two tiers below in the pyramid, offers a morale boost without over-interpreting friendly outcomes.

What comes next for Richardson’s group?

The manager plans to rotate the squad again next week. One XI will travel to Crawley Town for 90 minutes on Friday night, while the other faces Charlton Athletic at home the following afternoon. Richardson hinted the stronger side will take the final, tougher assignment against Charlton.

With Marriott, Roberts and Abrefa sidelined and Ehibhatiomhan’s exit looming, Richardson still has work to do before the opening day. The split-squad approach keeps minutes ticking over, but the real tests arrive when competitive football resumes.