READING FC have been knocked out of the Carabao Cup after a 2-0 defeat to Premier League Watford.

Isaac Success put the top-flight visitors ahead in the 37th minute before Domingos Quina smashed home a goal-of-the-season contender on 62 minutes to send the visitors into the third round.

There was no lack of effort from the Royals, but Watford’s superior quality told in the end on a night when both managers fielded heavily changed sides.

Clement, as promised, made wholesale changes from the team that drew at Aston Villa on Saturday with eight players coming into his starting line-up.

John O’Shea was handed his first start and there was a first appearance of the season for fit-again Chris Gunter.

Reading Chronicle:

Watford's Isaac Success tucks the ball into the Reading net.

Sam Walker kept his cup place in goal, while John Swift, Marc McNulty, Omar Richards, Yakou Meite and Liam Kelly also got the nod.

Clement also tweaked his formation with a three-man defence of Liam Moore, Tiago Ilori and O’Shea.

Watford boss Javi Gracia rotated his squad for their first foray in the competition with a side skippered by former Royal Adrian Mariappa and containing ex-loanee Nathan Chalobah.

Reading started positively with Meite’s hopeful shot blocked in the early stages.

And it wasn’t long before Gracia was forced to tweak his line-up and match Royals’ formation.

They soon began to probe as Marc Navarro and Chalobah missed the target from long-range free kicks.

Reading Chronicle:

Marc McNulty goes close for Reading.

O’Shea was back to mop up the danger when Walker’s clearance was charged down by Success after Moore’s backpass sold the keeper short.

Then Mariappa & Ben Wilmot efforts were both saved after Kiko Femenia's cut-back was parried by the Royals keeper.

Clement’s men hit back and went close on 23 minutes when McNulty collected Gunter’s pass only to blaze his shot over on the turn.

But Watford threatened again when a corner reached Femenia who slammed an effort straight at Success in front of goal.

It was a brief let-off for Royals as the visitors broke the deadlock on 37 minutes.

Chalobah’s initial pass sliced the home side apart before Adam Masina fed Success whose first touch took him around Walker before slotting into an empty net.

Clement threw on fresh legs for the second half and replaced Swift with Josh Sims.

But Hornets almost snatched a second goal five minutes after the break when Success headed narrowly over from a right-wing cross.

Moments later the powerful Watford striker rose above Richards and glanced a header wide, all from an awful clearance by Ilori.

Reading Chronicle:

Domingos Quina smashes home Watford's second goal.

Royals were coming under increasing pressure and relied on a smart Walker save to keep out Femenia’s effort from Chalobah’s clever pass.

But the hosts found themselves further behind after a stunning strike from Quina from the resulting corner.

Reading failed to clear their lines and Quina picked up the pieces before hammering an unstoppable effort past Walker from all of 25 yards.

Clement turned to his bench again, but his players failed to come up with the answers to break down a Hornets defence superbly marshalled by Mariappa.

They did create a couple of chances in the latter stages, but Kelly blazed over from 10 yards before McNulty lobbed Gomes, only for Watford to scramble back and clear the danger.

In between those opportunities Walker needed to make another quality save to thwart Navarro from close range, with Meite testing Gomes soon after at the other end.

But Watford held on comfortably to reach the next round and leave Reading to concentrate on more important matters in the league, with Sheffield Wednesday the visitors this Saturday (3pm ko).

Reading FC: Walker, Gunter, Ilori, Moore (c), O'Shea (Baldock 65), Richards (Yiadom 63), Bacuna, Swift (Sims 46), Kelly, Meite, McNulty. Subs not used: Jaakkola, McShane, Rinomhota, Clement. Booked: Meite 89.

Watford: Gomes, Masina, Mariappa (c), Prodl, Navarro, Sema (Okaka 66), Chalobah (Hughes 86), Wilmot, Quina (Doucoure 82), Femenia, Success. Subs not used: Dahlberg, Gray, Janmaat, Cathcart.

Referee: Andy Davies.

Attendance: 9,265 (Watford, 2,514).