Ryan Smith has played himself into Mark Wotte’s plans for the final seven games of the season – but a few others are in danger of doing the opposite.

The Saints head coach had challenged some of his fringe first teamers to prove they have what it takes for the high pressure run-in to the end of the season as the reserves took on Reading at Aldershot yesterday.

Wotte travelled up to see for himself how they got on but was stunned by a lacklustre display that culminated in a deserved 4-0 thumping.

In fact he was so disappointed by what he saw he went into the dressing room afterwards to tell the players what he thought and that some of them have to perform in the next reserve game on Monday or face missing potentially the biggest games of their careers so far.

He said: “I was very disappointed with the performance.

“Ryan Smith tried to do the best he could, he was our most dangerous player and the one who performed OK and the rest could have done better.

“There are no excuses – this is one of the most important games of the season for the reserves.

“We have seven games of more importance, more pressure and more quality for the first team.

“The start of the game was very unlucky as the first free kick was a goal but I expect more of players who have already been playing in the first team.

“I only saw in the last two minutes of the game some real fighting spirit. It was not a good game for us.”

For full story and more Saints news, don't miss today's Daily Echo.