A Johnny Russell strike and an Alex Pearce own goal both in the second-half ended Royals’ progress in the competition for another season.

It was Reading’s second successive defeat in all competitions following Saturday’s 1-0 loss at Sheffield Wednesday, and boss Nigel Adkins could have few complaints on the night as the Rams secured their place in the last 16.

As expected, Adkins shuffled his squad and made seven changes to the side that lost ay Hillsborough in the Championship.

Fit-again Danny Guthrie and Hal Robson-Kanu made their first starts of the season, while Michael Hector, Aaron Kuhl, Jamie Mackie, Ryan Edwards and Pavel Pogrebnyak all came into the side.

New signings Oliver Norwood and Glenn Murray were cup-tied for the Pride Park fixture, with Jake Cooper, Jake Taylor, Hope Akpan, Nick Blackman and Simon Cox also making way.

Steve McClaren’s hosts, with six changes to their side, started on the front foot with Leon Best testing Mikkel Andersen from distance before heading narrowly over the bar from the resulting corner.

But Royals should have broken the deadlock on 36 minutes when Pogrebnyak intercepted a Cyrus Christie back-pass and sent Mackie clean through on goal.

However, Mackie’s shot was blocked by the Derby’s debutant keeper Kelle Roos and the chance went begging.

Derby hit back immediately as Russell’s fizzing effort deflected just wide of the target with Andersen stranded. And from that corner Ryan Shotton missed with a diving header from eight yards out.

Adkins men were struggling to find their rhythm but they almost snatched the lead on the stroke of half time when Edwards’s shot from outside the box was held by Roos.

Derby, though, stepped it up after the break and hit the woodwork when Andersen tipped Jordan Ibe’s effort against the bar in the 51st minute.

And from the corner Shotton’s header was cleared off the line by Kuhl, son of ex-Rams player, Martin.

Robson-Kanu went close at the other end for the Royals, but Rams responded with an effort from Best that flew narrowly wide.

The visitors finally cracked in the 67th minute when Derby broke the deadlock.

Russell played a neat one-two with substitute Chris Martin before rifling the ball past Andersen from outside the box to bring home fans to their feet.

Adkins men briefly threatened to level it up when Pogrebnyak drilled one over after good work from Robson-Kanu.

But those hopes were swiftly dashed nine minutes from time when Pearce turned Martin’s cross into his own net.

Adkins said: “I thought when Derby scored it was against the run of play. The first goal was always going to be key and the second was a killer.

“First half maybe we didn’t keep the ball as well as we could have, but in the second half our possession and passing was very good.

“I wanted to go through and we wanted to win the game. But Derby are through so good luck to them.”

Adkins will be sweating on the fitness of Hector who limped off with four minutes to go and could be a doubt for Reading’s Championship clash against Wolves at Madejski Stadium this Sunday (1.15pm ko).

Reading: Anderson - Gunter (c), Pearce, Hector (Cooper 86) , Obita - Mackie, Guthrie (Taylor 71), Kuhl, Edwards, Robson-Kanu (Cox 75) - Pogrebnyak. Subs: Lincoln, Long, Stacey, Blackman. Booked: Robson-Kanu 42.

Derby: Roos, Christie, Keogh (C), Shotton, Forsyth, Mascarell, Hughes (Martin 63), Bryson (Eustace 83), Russell, Ibe, Best (Dawkins 75). Subs: Grant, Whitbread, Dawkins, Calero, L.Naylor.

Referee: Simon Hooper (Wiltshire).

Attendance: 18,409 (Reading 408).