THERE will be no silverware for Reading FC Under 23s after a 2-0 defeat at Swansea City in the Premier League Cup final.

Royals failed to take their chances last night as the double-winning Welsh club made the most of home advantage by adding the trophy to their Premier League Division 2 title.

Yet for many Reading players it was another step along their development as 21-year-old Yakou Meite and Andrija Novakovich, 20, were the only non-teenagers in Martin Kuhl's squad.

The visitors carved out the first real chance at Liberty Stadium when Rob Dickie nodded wide from a Ryan East corner.

But Royals keeper George Legg was soon called into action to deny Daniel James and George Byers.

Legg also produced a vital save to palm away a curling effort from James after an Omar Richards clearance had fallen kindly for the young Swan.

However, it was no holiday for Gregor Zabret at the other end as the home keeper flung himself full-stretch to keep out a Tyler Frost effort.

And Reading were a whisker away from taking the lead when Dickie's thumping header from East's flag-kick crashed against the woodwork before the same player blazed the rebound over.

Swans hit back as Adam King hit the side netting then Oli McBurnie brought the best out of Legg, before Novakovich had two more opportunities for Royals including a shot that deflected narrowly wide.

However, Reading's resistance was broken just before the interval when King powered a header past Legg from a James cross to give Swans a slender lead.

The visitors came under more pressure after the restart as Legg saved from McBurnie and then pulled off a better stop to keep out a Byers free-kick, with King knocking the rebound wide.

Royals threatened an equaliser when Novakovich's strike deflected just over the crossbar, only for Swans to double their lead through King's 80th minute strike after a neat link-up with McBurnie.

Royals were forced to play with 10 men in the closing stages following injury to Tennai Watson as Swansea held on to claim the cup.

Swansea City U23: Zabret, Reid, Roberts, Maric, Davies, Rodon, James, Fulton, McBurnie, Byers, King. Subs not used: Thomas, Lewis, Biabi, Garrick, Evans.

Reading U23: Legg, Watson, Richards, Osho (Andresson 84), Dickie, East, Frost (Smith 86), Rinomhota, Barrett (Sheppard 74), Meite, Novakovich. Subs not used: Driscoll, Holsgrove.