Report | Reading U23s 1 Swansea City U23s 0

Lucas Boye scored the only goal of the game as Swansea City Under-23s were condemned to a 1-0 defeat by Reading in the Premier League Cup.

The Argentine striker’s 42nd-minute effort was enough to separate the two sides in the Group A showdown at the Laithwaite Community Stadium.

The Swans, who handed first starts at this level to Scott Butler, Will Rickard and Ali Al-Hamadi, rallied towards the end of the game, but were just unable to find the equaliser as they suffered their maiden defeat in this season’s competition.

With first-team regular Boye leading the line, Reading began brightly and the first real chance of the game saw Lewis Webb produce a solid save to deny the striker.

The Swans keeper then did well to keep out Josh Barrett’s goalbound free-kick, while Jokull Andresson was called into action at the other end to prevent Al-Hamadi, who had raced through on goal.

However, there was nothing Webb could do three minutes before half-time, when Boye latched onto Barrett’s through ball before firing into the top corner.

The hosts went in search of a second after the break with Barrett going close to doubling the lead on two occasions.

First, he saw a free-kick well-saved by Webb, before sending a powerful effort crashing against the crossbar.

At the other end, Rickard’s low drive was pushed away by Andresson, while Webb produced brilliant reflexes to tip over Ben House’s shot.

The Swans rallied as the clock ticked down and they applied a lengthy spell of pressure in search of an equaliser.

The best chance fell to Cullen three minutes from time, but the seven-goal striker drilled his low effort just wide of the target.

Swansea City U23s: Lewis Webb; Ryan Bevan, Cameron Evans, Scott Butler, Brandon Cooper; Jack Evans (capt), Kees de Boer; Will Rickard (Marc Walsh, 85), Simon Paulet, Ali Al-Hamadi (Josh Thomas, 65); Liam Cullen.

Subs not used: Josh Gould, Erick Kenko, Jake Thomas.