The Football Association confirmed on Tuesday that the appeal against Pearce’s dismissal had not been upheld.

Royals appealed on the grounds of ‘wrongful dismissal’, but the complaint was thrown out by an Independent Regulatory Commission.

Republic of Ireland international Pearce will serve a one match ban and will miss Reading’s trip to Norwich City this Saturday (3pm ko).

Jake Cooper is likely to replace Pearce at Carrow Road and will play alongside Michael Hector in an inexperienced centre-back partnership.

Royals winger Garath McCleary is also set to make his first start of the season following surgery to repair a back injury over the summer.

Meanwhile, Reading Under 21s began their defence of the Premier League Cup with a 3-0 win over QPR on Monday.

Dominic Samuel fired Royals ahead in the clash at Wycombe Wanderers’ Adams Park.

Tariqe Fosu doubled the advantage with a sensational free-kick after the break.

Substitute Andrija Novakovich completed the victory by winning and scoring a late penalty to send Reading into the last 16.

U21 coach Martin Kuhl beamed: “I thought the better defensive team won, and that’s not to say we were playing defensively. We were better with our shape, as they had a lot more possession in front of us.

“We have a good group and they love playing football. Some have tasted first-team action and some have tasted first-team training – that is all positive.”

Reading U21s: Lincoln, Long, Griffin, Keown, Sweeney, Tshibola, Kuhl, Stacey, Fosu, L Kelly, Samuel (Novakovich 86). Subs: Ward, Owusu, Dickie, Shaughnessy.