READING FC Under 18s crashed 4-0 to Norwich City in their opening Premier League Cup clash.

The scoreline was harsh on the young Royals team which contained five 16-year-old players as well as 15-year-old Jeriel Dorsett, who played the duration.

In fact, Reading created a host of chances in the first half without managed to finish one off.

And it came back to haunt them as Jaden Thompson-Brissett put the visitors ahead just before the break.

Reading went close to equalising after the interval, only to concede a second soon after when Thompson-Brissett fired home a superb free kick.

David Dodd’s side then shot themselves in the foot when a defensive mistake gifted Adam Idah Norwich’s third before Anthony Spryou addeda fourth late on.

U18s coach Dodds admitted: “If you had seen the first 25 or 30 minutes, you would never have seen that scoreline coming.

“We were dominating and creating some great chances, but we just weren’t able to finish them off, which has been the case on a few occasions for us.

“If we had taken those early chances, then it’s a completely different game because we might have been one or two up and that gives us control.

“It’s a steep learning curve for the lads at the moment, we’re playing some good stuff, but hopefully we’ll be able to kill off some of our chances and be a bit more ruthless in the final third.

“It’s a particularly young group, they’re still learning and they’ll improve on the details and become better footballers by being pushed out of their comfort zone.”

Reading U18s: Rosario, Wilson, Dorsett, Odimayo (Nditi 65), Burley, Buchanan (Elva-Fountaine 90), Coleman, Sparta, Nolan, Matete (Wallace 70), Moore. Subs not used: Hillson, Lawrence.