Palace rumbled by Royals

August 11 2012

Crystal Palace were defeated 2-0 by Premier League new boys Reading in their final pre-season game.

Trialist Omar Kossoko, a French midfielder formerly of Auxerre, started for the Eagles at the Madejski Stadium.

While ex-Everton forward Jose Baxter, who is also looking to impress for a move, replaced the injured Jon Williams in the first half.

Reading opened the scoring on 53 minutes when striker Pavel Pogrebnyak fired past Julian Speroni into the top left corner via a slight deflection.

Adam Le Fondre then doubled the lead for the Royals a minute later with a close range finish from Ian Harte's low cross into the six-yard box.

Palace: Speroni, Ward, Moxey, Martin, McCarthy, Parr, Wright, Garvan, Williams (Baxter 39), Kossoko, Wilbraham.