Reading enjoy FA Cup respite after MK Dons win seals spot in FA Cup second round

Posted Sunday, November 05, 2023 by PA

Struggling Reading enjoyed a brief respite from their Sky Bet League One woes when they eased to a 3-2 victory over MK Dons in the FA Cup first round.

Kelvin Ehibhatiomhan fired the home side into a third-minute lead but the League Two side deservedly levelled through Alex Gilbey in the 39th minute.

Reading struck twice in four minutes after the hour mark, with goals from Harvey Knibbs and Lewis Wing effectively settling the tie before Max Dean pull one back in stoppage time for the Dons.

Reading, bottom of League One after losing their last five matches, made a sharp opening.

Wing threaded a fine pass through to top scorer Ehibhatiomhan and, after cleverly cutting inside, he lashed home his sixth goal of the season.

A sparse crowd provided little encouragement to either side but the visitors proved the livelier up until the interval, with Gilbey twice testing debutant home goalkeeper Joel Pereira.

Gilbey got his reward six minutes before the break, sliding in to tap home an excellent low cross from Cameron Norman.

Reading dominated most of the second half, regaining their lead in the 64th minute when Knibbs glanced in a header from Wing’s free kick.

More slack Dons defending soon after allowed Wing to slot home from close range to seal the win, with Dean’s scrambled effort coming too late to affect the outcome.