A young Crystal Palace Reserve side were comprehensively beaten on Wednesday afternoon by Reading Reserves at the Madejski Stadium 6-2.

Gary Issott field a very young side, with every player but one (Scott Flinders) being a youth team player.

Up against a heavily experienced Reading side Palace did well to force Reading into the break at a respectable 2-2. James Dayton scored Palace's opener, latching on to a Jamie Smith through ball to squeeze it underneath the keeper and then Allessane N'Diaye got Palace's second with a towering back post header.

But in the second half Reading's experience showed as Mooney completed his hat trick, Leroy Lita got a brace and Abdulai Baggie finished it off.

Reserve manager Gary Issott spoke to cpfc.co.uk after the game and revealed that, in the end, it was experience that was the difference between the two sides:

"I thought we did well. We fielded, all but Scott Flinders, a full youth team against a side with the likes of Mooney, Lita, Harper and Sodje so it was a hard contest against a very experienced side.

"We did well to go into the break at 2-2 but in the end experience showed and some silly mistakes that we made in the second half cost us and the result flattered them a little bit.

"But there were some positives in there this afternoon. James Comley was excellent up against Harper and N'Diaye had to work hard up front on his own after Nathanial Pinney went off so all in all a good it was an encouraging performance this afternoon.