Reading manager Paul Ince emphasised the importance of the youth set up last night after this young Royals side were knocked out of the Carabao Cup by League Two Stevenage.

Going behind inside 10 minutes, academy graduate Kelvin Ehibhatiomhan notched his first senior goal to draw the sides level.

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It looked as though it was going to a penalty shootout but Danny Rose popped up at the back post to tap home a last minute winner and send the Hertfordshire-based outfit through.

Seven of the starting 11 were made up of current Under-21 players or graduates of the club's prestigious academy, with Ince not willing to risk first team stars ahead of the trip to Rotherham United on Saturday.

Despite losing to Steve Evans' side, the boss felt that games like this are there to help the young prospects stake a claim.

"They are things that as a manager you want to develop," he started. "There’s no point having an Academy if we’re not going to develop kids, you may as well through it down the drain, so when you see things like that it gives you a bit of hope as Reading Football Club isn’t about me, it’s about what’s coming through. It puts a smile on my face.

"I’m not too bothered about today. The most important thing is the young kids have learnt something and hopefully they can go on from there."

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Scorer Ehibhatiomhan, now in his 11th year with the club, slotted home a delighful through ball from fellow academy graduate Mamadi Camara- a move the former England international was pleased to see.

"I’ve seen Kelvin do that in training but to know I’ve got the chance to score my first professional goal, some might snatch at it but he took it so well. The pass made him take it that way.

"It should really have gone to penalties, we deserved it to go to penalties. We’re disappointed in there, but this is where we are as a club."