READING FC's Under 23s staged a second-half comeback to beat West Bromwich Albion 2-1 at Madejski Stadium on Monday night.

Jamie Soule had put the visitors ahead in the opening stages after a defensive mix-up, but Scott Marshall's side turned the game on its head when Thierry Nevers and Adam Liddle both struck within three second-half minutes to earn all three points in the Premier League 2.

The hosts started brightly, forcing an early chance when Ethan Coleman found a ball over the top into the path of Adam Liddle, but goalkeeper Brad House sprinted off his line to save from the Reading striker.

Just two minutes later though, the visitors took the lead.

A loose backpass was pounced upon by Soule, who rounded Myles Roberts and slotted into the empty net with just five minutes on the clock.

Reading tried to respond quickly when Michael Olise was fouled 30 yards from goal. He sent the free-kick to the far post, with a trialist heading back towards goal, House was there again to claim it in mid-air.

However, Soule then had a chance to double his side's advantage, but Roberts rushed off his line and saved well from point-blank range.

Up the other end, first-team debutant, Akin Odimayo played an incisive pass from defence to the left-hand side, with Nevers able to power forward. His run took him into the West Brom box, with Reading's appeals for a penalty waved away as the striker shot off-balance under a challenge, the ball going narrowly past the post.

Olise nearly levelled only for House to make a reflex save into the path of Liddle in the six-yard area.

He did not have time to react properly to the loose ball, with his header going wide from a matter of metres.

Reading pushed for a leveller right up until the interval, but the West Brom defence held firm to take a one-goal advantage in at half time.

The hosts flew out of the traps in the second period in search of an equaliser.

An Olise corner was swung into the area, finding the head of Odimayo, but House parried with another important save.

Andre Burley tried to follow up, but the Baggies scrambled clear.

Reading then broke three-against-one from a West Brom corner, as Coleman fed a trialist through on goal, but his shot was blocked after George Harmon had stayed back from the corner.

Soon afterwards, a cleverly improvised one-two between Teddy Howe and Nevers set the latter into the box. He fired a low ball across the face of goal, narrowly out of reach of a trialist who looked to finish a good move off.

Up the other end, the Baggies looked to show their potency going forward when they put Reading under pressure for the first time in the half, on the hour mark. The ball was worked across goal into the path of Sam Wilding, whose 20-yard effort was deflected over the bar.

But eventually, Reading's pressure paid off. Nevers found himself in space to the left corner of the penalty box, his first touch cleverly gave him the room he needed to pick out the bottom corner, calmly slotting past House and levelling proceedings.

Three minutes later, the turnaround was complete, with Royals taking advantage while West Brom regrouped.

The ball came in from the right flank into the path of Reading's strike partnership, with it falling kindly for Liddle six yards out, who poked the Reading in front.

West Brom soon found their way back into the match, though, as the balance of the game shifted once more and the midfield battle which dominated the first half resumed as the clock ticked on.

However, Reading's defence held firm as the Baggies aimed for a late equaliser on a clear night at Madejski Stadium.