Saints reserves slipped to a 4-0 defeat against Reading in front of head coach Mark Wotte.

The Saints boss was watching from the stands at Aldershot’s Recreation Ground after calling for his fringe players to prove they have what it takes to boost his first team during the final seven games of the season.

What he saw was a very experienced Reading team taking the Combination Cup seriously and cruising to victory.

Reading took the lead a little over a minute into the match when Leroy Lita curled a 20 yard free kick over the Saints wall and into the top corner via the underside of the bar.

It was 2-0 on 36 minutes when former Saints loanee Alex Pearce headed home a Dan Harding corner unchallenged.

Lita added another four minutes after half time, cutting in from the right and curling a fantastic shot round the diving Tommy Forecast for 3-0.

Reading completed the scoring three minutes from time when Sam Sodje’s diving header converted Julian Kelly’s half volleyed cross.

The brightest spot for Saints was the return of Lee Holmes who played the final half hour as he battles back from his latest knee problem.

Teams: Saints: Forecast, Hatch, Liptak, Lancashire, Davies, Gobern (Doble 45), McNish, Molyneux (Holmes 58), Smith, Boyle, Paterson.

Reading: McCarthy, Kelly, Sodje, Pearce, Harding, Little, Spence, Hateley, Golborne, Lita, Baggie (White 79).