Reading picked up a 2-0 victory at Woking in their third pre-season friendly of the summer, the result coming courtesy of two second-half strikes from Tyler Sackey and summer arrival Jacob Brown. The game offered manager Leam Richardson another chance to assess combinations as he continues to rotate the squad ahead of the competitive campaign.
How the match unfolded
The first 55 minutes were largely a fitness and tactical exercise, with an XI that Richardson planned to give a longer run-out in the opening period. After the interval the team shape changed and the fresh legs made the decisive impact.
- 55th minute: Sam Osho replaced Sam Smith-Stokes, moving to the right flank and prompting a positional shift.
- Goals: Sackey opened the scoring before Jacob Brown sealed the victory later in the half.
- 87th minute: Jordan Jones came on for Osho, a straight swap on the left wing.
Lineups and substitutions
| First 55 minutes | Final 30 minutes |
|---|---|
| Stevens; Ahmed, O'Connor, Ward, Lane; Fraser, Savage; Williams, Stokes, Kyerewaa; Patton | Pereira; Godwin-Malife, Beacroft, Duah, Dorsett; Wing, Rinomhota; Lisbie, Sackey, Osho; Brown |
Manager's rotation plan — what it means
Richardson has indicated the intention to split the squad across pre-season fixtures to give more players meaningful minutes. As the manager described this week:
"the plan was for the squad to be split into two, with one XI getting 60 minutes against Woking and 30 minutes at Newport County on Tuesday, and the other XI doing the opposite."
This approach allows the coaching staff to monitor fitness levels, test tactical permutations and integrate summer signings without overburdening individuals. It also suggests Richardson will target the final warm-up games to find his best starting eleven ahead of the competitive fixtures.
Fitness and availability
There were a handful of absentees to note. Defender Haydon Roberts and Kelvin Abrefa were not involved due to injury, and Richardson confirmed that Jack Marriott was also unavailable after the match. Supporters should expect further updates on those players' recovery in the coming days.
Reading are scheduled to give one group 90 minutes away at Crawley Town next Friday, and the other group 90 minutes the following day at home to Charlton Athletic. Those matches are likely to provide a clearer picture of the starting lineup Richardson will deploy once the season begins.
For locals keeping an eye on the squad, the Woking trip underlines Richardson's cautious approach to pre-season workload while still ensuring new signings and fringe players receive valuable game time.
