Mixed results from first reserve outing of the season

Reserve league runners-up twice in the last two years, we got ourselves off to a bad start against Premiership newcomers Reading.

While we managed a 2-1 victory at Villa Park in the first team encounter, the Royals managed to reverse the scoreline for the reserve fixture.

Sam Williams did his first-team chances no good with a dismissal for an attempted headbutt, although Dider Agathe, on trial, had a good game.

It took 13 minutes for Reading to open the scoring with Shane Long getting the goal. Simon Cox scored their decisive second in the 84th but Villa's second string didn't give up.

It was only 3 minutes before Villa grabbed the consolation, a member of the summer tour party Stephen O'Halloran with the goal.

Not a good start, but hopefully a few positives for Martin O'Neill to take away.