READING FC returned from Fratton Park with a two-point haul following a lively Checkatrade Trophy match against Portsmouth last night.

Royals picked up a point after the Under 23s clash finished 2-2 after 90 minutes.

And Martin Kuhl's side earned an extra point for winning 4-3 in the penalty shootout which followed under the format of the heavily-criticised competition.

A mere 1,355 spectators watched the fixture, making it the lowest post-war attendance at Fratton Park.

The visitors, who included seven Academy graduates, raced out of the blocks and grabbed a seventh-minute lead through Andrija Novakovich.

The USA Under 20 international was well placed to slot home from a Joseph Mendes cross after Liam Kelly's smart pass had started the move.

Pompey, though, went close to equalising through Michael Smith then Royals suffered a blow when 17-year-old Tom McIntyre was forced off with an ankle injury.

Kuhl's men kept their noses in front thanks to skipper Anssi Jaakkola, who dived full stretch to keep out a Milan Lalkovic strike.

They went close to snatching a second when Dominic Samuel was denied by Pompey stopper Liam O'Brien before Jaakkola was called into action again after the break, this time thwarting substitute Gareth Evans.

But Reading's persistence did pay off when they doubled their lead in the 52nd minute from the penalty spot.

Mendes won a corner and Pompey infringed when Kelly's delivery reached the area, allowing Mendes to convert from 12 yards.

However, Royals were quickly pegged back to 2-2 after Pompey struck twice in the seven-minute burst.

The hosts reduced the deficit in the 57th minute when Curtis Main scored at the near post from a right-wing cross.

And they levelled the scores up in the 64th minute when Main fired past Jaakkola from the edge of the box.

Royals pressed for a winner in normal time, but Novakovich could only fire straight at O'Brien before Samuel and Tyler Frost both went close.

Pompey also threatened in the closing stages, with Omar Richards an inch away from converting a Kal Naismith cross, but it remained 2-2 to set up a penalty shootout for the extra point on offer.

And that's when Jaakkola came into his own, with the big Finn making four excellent saves to deny Kyle Bennett, Jack Whatmough, Adam May and Lalkovic.

And while Pompey keeper O'Brien also saved three Reading penalties – Samuel, Shane Griffin and Tennai Watson the men to miss – Mendes and Tyler Blackett converted allowing 17-year-old Frost to score the winning spot-kick.

Portsmouth: O’Brien, Clarke, Smith, Lalkovic, Main (Naismith 69), Whatmough, Buxton (Evans 43), Bennett, Linganzi, Close (May 73), Haunstrup. Subs not used: Hall, Davies, Oxlade-Chamberlain.

Reading: Jaakkola, Watson, Blackett, Gravenberch, McIntyre (Griffin 18), Kelly, Rinomhota, Frost, Novakovich (Richards 78), Samuel, Mendes. Subs not used: Moore, Vancooten, East, Bennett, Cardwell.