Due to the FA Cup quarter-final replay with Bradford being scheduled for Monday evening, the Reading boss made nine changes to his side, handing full Reading league debuts to Jure Travner, Zat Knight, Jack Stacey and Niall Keown.

Watford are formidable at home and would've fancied their chances of running riot against a second string Reading outfit – and it took them just 52 seconds to open the scoring.

Almen Abdi fired home in the opening minute before Matey Vydra doubled the lead towards the end of the first half. Troy Deeney added a third minutes after the restart and Fernando Forestieri completed the scoring after Jem Karacan had grabbed a consolation back.

The hosts cut Reading apart with ease for large spells of the game but Clarke insisted his side were unfortunate to be on the end of a three-goal loss.

"I didn't think the team deserved to lose by that scoreline,” he said. “They were punished by a very good Watford team. 

"We started too slow, conceding a goal in the first minute wasn’t the plan. We responded quite well to that, played some good stuff in the first half and got into some really good positions.

“But we couldn’t quite threaten the goal enough. There was one scramble from a corner that didn’t fall for us but we will keep working away.

"The second goal was a poor goal to lose, it sort of knocked our confidence a little bit. Then we spoke at half-time about not conceding, but we conceded early which made it difficult for us. But the character that has been there in recent weeks came through.

He continued: “After making it 3-1 we had one really good opportunity when Nick Blackman should have slipped in Jack Stacey, I’m sure the boy would have scored because he was having a terrific game.

"It's a disappointing scoreline and I think a little bit unfair on the effort of the team.”

Many Reading fans were pleased to see a weakened side ahead of a potentially historic FA Cup clash on Monday but Clarke insisted it wasn't an easy decision to prioritise the FA Cup.

“Everyone will look at it and think it was a straight forward decision,” he added. “It wasn’t.

“Out of the players who didn’t play today there was five who were injured. I’m hopeful for Monday night but I’m not sure.”

“It was a chance to give some of the young boys an opportunity to play. I knew it would be a difficult game for them but if you don’t throw them in at the deep end then when do you through them in?”