JAAP Stam confirmed he will make more changes to his Reading FC team for tonight’s FA Cup third-round replay against Stevenage (8pm ko).

Royals could only draw 0-0 with League Two Boro at Lamex Stadium on January 6.

The sides will meet again at Madejski Stadium tonight with the winners earning a trip to either Sheffield Wednesday or Carlisle United in the fourth round.

And Stam says he plans to tinker with his squad for the replay, having made a number of changes on Saturday for the 0-0 league draw at Hull City.

That means the likes of Anssi Jaakkola, Liam Kelly, Pelle Clement and Tyler Blackett could all return to Reading’s starting line-up.

Stam explained: “It’s going to be another tough game, Stevenage made it very difficult for us at their place and tried to get into the next round.

“We know their quality and their physique and we need to deal with that a bit better, especially when we have possession and are going forward.

“We need to look at who can play and we may make a couple of changes because everyone in our squad wants to play.

“This is an opportunity for those players to play games, get a good result and show us they want to play.

“We want a good result in the FA Cup because it will give us a better feeling.”

Saturday’s stalemate against Nigel Admins’ Tigers means Reading have not won in seven Championship matches and eight games in all competitions, leaving them 18th in the Championship table.

Reading Chronicle:

John Swift is substituted in the first half of Saturday's 0-0 draw at Hull City with a hamstring injury. Picture: Jason Dawson/jasonpix

Stam’s men have also failed to score in the last 292 minutes of competitive action and are in desperate need of a spark up front.

But Stam believed a decent run in the FA Cup could be the kick-start his players need.

“The league is the most important thing for us, but you always want to win games,” he added.

“It’s always nice to do well in the FA Cup and get as far as you can. If you can get a result against a bigger team is always boosts your confidence.

“You never know where you can end up at the end of the day. It’s something extra for the club and the fans when you play against a Premier League team.

“It’s not just something on the side for us, it’s a very big competition and we want a good result.”

Two players definitely missing tonight are John Swift and Paul McShane who both picked up hamstring injuries in the first half against Hull City on Saturday.

It is the same injury Swift suffered in November that kept him sidelined for month, with Stam vowing to get to the bottom of the mystery.

  • Follow the FA Cup replay live with the Reading Chronicle.