Brentford Handed Reading Away Trip in Carabao Cup Third Round

Brentford have been handed a trip to Reading in the Carabao Cup third round, with Wednesday night’s draw setting up another away day for Keith Andrews’ side.

The Bees swept past Birmingham City 6-1 at St Andrew’s on Tuesday night, earning themselves another test on the road, this time against EFL opposition once more.

Callum Wilson marked his first competitive start for the club with a goal, while Aaron Hickey, Mikkel Damsgaard and Igor Thiago all found themselves on the scoresheet. Nathan Collins chipped in with a brace as the Bees cruised into the last 32.

Now, it’s Reading who stand between Brentford and a spot in the fourth round.

The exact date and kick-off time are still to be confirmed, with third-round ties set to take place across the weeks beginning September 7 and September 14, depending on European commitments.

Reading, for their part, have also started brightly in this season’s Carabao Cup.

The League One side eased past Stevenage 3-0 away from home on Tuesday night, building on their progress from the opening round.

It means a reunion between two sides who were familiar foes during Brentford’s time in the Championship.

The last time these teams met in a senior competitive fixture was back in Brentford’s promotion-winning 2020/21 campaign, when the Bees came from behind to win 3-1 in Berkshire.

Josh Dasilva grabbed a brace that night, with Ivan Toney sealing the win late on, a result that helped set Brentford on their way to Premier League promotion via the play-offs.

A lot has changed since the clubs last met, with the Carabao Cup Third Round the first competitive clash since Brentford’s departure from the Championship.

Andrews was clear before the second round that Brentford see themselves well placed to make a real push in the domestic cups this season.

Their performance at Birmingham certainly gave weight to that belief.

Andrews shuffled his pack from the team that had swept aside Tottenham 3-0 in the Premier League just three days earlier, but Brentford still found six goals and handed valuable minutes to those eager to stake a claim.

Wilson made the most of his chance with an early goal, Hickey marked his return to the starting eleven by scoring before the break, and Collins’ double, along with second-half strikes from Damsgaard and Thiago, turned the contest into another Bees masterclass.

Reading should provide a different challenge, particularly with Brentford once again having to go away from home.

The Bees have reached the quarter-finals of the Carabao Cup in each of the last two seasons and will be looking to put together another extended run under Andrews.

One more win would see them back in the last 16.

Details on tickets, TV coverage and the confirmed date for the Reading tie will be announced once the third-round schedule is set.