READING FC ended their pre-season campaign with a 0-0 draw at home to La Liga outfit Espanyol in a feisty friendly at the Madejski Stadium.

Jordan Obita and Alvaro Gonzalez were sent off midway through the second-half after a late challenge from the Reading left-back sparked a massive brawl that Gonzalez was at the centre of.

There was an edge to the game throughout, with seven cards issued by Keith Stroud in Reading's final game before they begin their league campaign at Birmingham City next week.

Unfortunately for the 6,329 fans that attended, the brawl was the main talking point of the afternoon as an effort from Orlando Sa was the only shot on target throughout in a game lacking in chances.

Steve Clarke gave Michael Hector the armband for his first pre-season friendly since returning from the Gold Cup.

The Reading boss started with a 4-5-1 formation, with Danny Williams at the head of a midfield three with Aaron Tshibola and Oliver Norwood.

Pavel Pogrebnyak led the line but lasted just 25 minutes before having to exit proceedings after picking up a knock on his ankle from a late challenge.

Orlando Sa replaced him but it was a first half devoid of many opportunities as both sides failed to register a shot on target.

Danny Williams and Nick Blackman had sightings of goal for the hosts but both sent their efforts wayward.

Espanyol – who finished 10th in La Liga last season – kept the ball well and made Reading work to win it back, but they also failed to trouble Jonathan Bond throughout the first period on his Madejski Stadium bow.

The closest they came in the opening 45 was when Filipe Caicedo somehow blazed wide from eight yards but his blushes were spared by an offside flag.

Tariqe Fosu was introduced at the break and provided some much-needed width and pace into the Reading side, and it was his pass that led to the game's first shot on target.

Sa received the ball 25 yards from goal and sent a low, fizzing drive towards the bottom corner but German Parreno produced a fine save to keep it out.

The main controversy came in the 67th minute as a reckless tackle from Jordan Obita sparked a 22-man brawl that involved several members of the Espanyol bench.

Anton Ferdinand and Alvaro Gonzalez were at the centre of it – with the latter receiving his marching orders for his reaction to the tackle.

Obita was also dismissed but won't be ruled out of next week's trip to Birmingham City.

The brawl ended with several substitutes and the Espanyol manager on the pitch to calm things down, with Gonzalez having to be restrained by a security guard.

Moment later and a late challenge on Sa by Javier Lopez earned the visiting defender a yellow card and Clarke was furious in the dug out – getting into a heated debate with his opposite number.

It meant that both sides ended with ten men but in a game of few opportunities, neither side could take advantage to find a winning goal.

Reading FC: Bond (Al-Habsi '60); Gunter, Hector (McShane '60), Ferdinand, Obita; Quinn (Akpan '74), Tshibola (Fosu '45), Norwood, Williams, Blackman (Cox '60); Pogrebnyak (Sa '25). Subs not used: Akpan, Taylor, Samuel, Hyam.

Espanyol: Bardi, Arbilla, V. Álvarez, Caballé, Lluís López, Cañas, Hernán Pérez, Joan Jordán, Burgui, Abraham, Álex. Subs: Germán, Álvaro, H. Moreno, Duarte, Javi López, V. Sánchez, Montañés, Salva Sevilla, Raíllo, Caicedo, Pau.

Attendance: 6,329

Referee: Keith Stroud