Reading Under-21 manager Noel Hunt singled out six players for special praise after their 3-0 win over Charlton Athletic.
Jahmari Clarke, Adrian Akande and Kian Leavy all scored in the second half to make it a convincing win at Bearwood and send the Royals into the top four of the Professional Development League.
Speaking after the match, 2012 Championship winner Hunt described the upcoming trip to Old Trafford in the FA Cup as a 'carrot' and singled out six stars after the Addicks win.
"Terrell Thomas was playing for them today and you see Jahmari Clarke and Kelvin Ehibhatiomhan do really good against him and cause all sorts of problems. We should have been 1-0 up in the first half but with the added composure and killer instinct in the second half did the job right.
"I thought Jahmari was really good throughout the game, Adrian [Akande] was really good but along with that at the back we were really good. A clean sheet was really pleasing so I’m happy for Coniah [Boyce-Clarke]. Nelson [Abbey] and Kelvin Abrefa were really good, they’re the ones who have shown real maturity of the last few months.
"It was part of our team talk before the game; put in a really good performance and give yourself the best chance to be going to Old Trafford next week. That’s a massive carrot. I think a few of them did that. Most of them gave a really good account in a professional performance. It’s down to the people above."
10 Academy graduates were involved in the last FA Cup squad, a 2-0 win over Watford in which Abrefa and Shane Long netted, with more expected to feature against Manchester United on Saturday.
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