Callum Wilson and Fábio Carvalho were on target as Brentford survived a second-half Reading fightback to book their place in the fourth round of the Carabao Cup.
Brentford secured their place in the Carabao Cup fourth round with a 2-1 victory over Reading at the Select Car Leasing Stadium.
Callum Wilson gave Keith Andrews’ side the perfect start after just three minutes before Fábio Carvalho doubled the advantage deep into first-half stoppage time.
Paudie O’Connor pulled one back for Reading midway through the second half, ensuring the Bees were made to work for their place in the fourth round of the competition.
Andrews made a number of changes from the side that drew with Bournemouth at the weekend, with Ellery Balcombe starting in goal and Wilson leading the attack.
It took just three minutes for one of those changes to pay off. Dango Ouattara created the opening, finding Wilson inside the area before the striker finished low into the bottom corner to give Brentford an early lead.
Reading responded well and enjoyed their best spell midway through the half. Jamie Reid forced Balcombe into a save from close range before another attack ended with several efforts blocked inside the Brentford box.
The Bees soon began creating chances of their own again as they grew into the game. Keane Lewis-Potter was denied by Joel Pereira after Wilson had headed the ball into his path, while Wilson later saw another effort saved as Brentford looked for a second.
That eventually arrived in first-half stoppage time. Reading had threatened just moments earlier when Conor Masterson headed wide from a corner, but Brentford took the abll straight to the other end and punished them. Ouattara again the creator for the Bees, providing his second assist of the night for Carvalho to finish from the centre of the box and send Brentford into the break with a 2-0 advantage.
Andrews introduced Yehor Yarmoliuk for Mamadou Sangaré at half-time as he looked to add fresh legs to midfield to help secure the Bees’ lead, but Reading continued to make the tie competitive after the restart.
Brentford had opportunities to put the game beyond reach, but couldn't find the back of the net. Ouattara forced Pereira into a save with a header before Kayode missed from close range shortly afterwards.
The hosts continued pushing and their pressure eventually brought a route back into the game thanks to Paudie O'Connor. Reading won a corner in the 72nd minute, delivered by Charlie Savage as O’Connor rose inside the six-yard box to head past Balcombe and cut Brentford’s advantage to one.
It changed the mood of the final stages. Andrews responded with a triple substitution five minutes later, introducing Igor Thiago, Aaron Hickey and Jaidon Anthony as Brentford looked to regain some control away from home.
Reading continued to search for an equaliser, but the better late chances fell to the visitors.
Thiago twice forced Pereira into saves from inside the penalty area, while Mikkel Damsgaard also had an opportunity to restore the two-goal cushion.
Brentford could not find a third, but in the end, they didn't need it, doing enough to prevent Reading from completing the comeback and secure their place in the fourth round.
Wilson’s early finish and Carvalho’s goal just before the interval ultimately proved enough on for the Bees, on a night where Andrews was able to make changes to preserve fitness ahead of the tough Friday night meeting with Chelsea at the Gtech.
The Bees will now discover their fourth-round opponents on Wednesday night, with the draw taking place after Manchester United’s meeting with Brighton & Hove Albion.
