Reading 1, Preston 2

READING crashed out of the FA Cup on Tuesday night.

Despite a late rally, the Royals could have no arguments about their third-round defeat by injury-stricken opponents who were missing a host of their top players.

The Royals started brightly and Ricky Newman and James Har-per both went close in the early stages. But the visitors roared back to dictate play. And they took the lead after 28 minutes - punishing a rare mistake from Graeme Murty.

After George Koumantarakis was denied, fellow striker Richard Cresswell picked up the ball on the left of the box before curling a superb right-foot shot into the far corner of the net.

David Healy could have added another for the vistors before the break.

Any chance of a Royals fight-back after the interval was cruelly ended after 47 minutes when Preston scored again to kill the tie. This time, a harmless-looking cross from the left by Michael Keane saw Marcus Hahnemann and Adie Williams get in each other's way.

Comically, the ball dropped free for Koumantarakis to steer the ball home from inside the box.

Dean Morgan, impressive up front, had a shot deflected on to the crossbar by Jonathan Gould.

Kevin Watson and Steven Sidwell came on and the Royals slowly improved, starting with a goal-bound shot from Shaun Goater that was cleared.

Goater missed with another two headers that - by his own admission - he should have converted, before the big striker did finally net after 84 minutes.

Even then, Gould saved his first shot but Goater coolly clipped the rebound over the 'keeper's body to give Royals a slim lifeline.

Under-pressure boss Steve Coppell admitted that his side had been deservedly beaten. With a tough league encounter at Nottingham Forest tomorrow, he called for his players to stand up and be counted.

Reading (4-4-2): Hahnemann; Murty, Williams, Ingimarsson, Shorey; Murray, Newman (sub Sidwell 56min), Harper (Watson 56), Hughes (sub Salako 74min); Goater, Morgan. Subs not used: Young, Savage.

Royals defender John Mackie has moved to Division Three side Leyton Orient on a free transfer after failing to agree a deal at Phil Parkinson's Colchester.