Reading FC’s miserable week was compounded with a defeat away to Bolton Wanderers in League One in a goal packed game.
Following the collapse of Rob Couhig’s takeover deal last week, attention turned back to the pitch.
However, it was an afternoon to forget as a first-half hat-trick from Dion Charles helped Wanderers ease to three points.
Ruben Selles faced a goalkeeper dilemma after Coniah Boyce-Clarke’s mistake last weekend and decided to start the vastly experienced David Button.
Harvey Knibbs returned to the starting eleven having appeared as a substitute last week following an injury lay-off.
Bolton had made a poor start to the campaign which included a 4-0 thrashing at home to Huddersfield, while the Royals were beaten by Leyton Orient at the SCL last weekend.
The home team were able to open the score just moments after Button had made an excellent double stop.
Josh Sheehan’s free-kick beat the Royals keeper and their lead was doubled less than 10 minutes after when Charles netted the first of his three after being fouled in the box by Amadou Mbengue.
Charles put the hosts in commanding control of the contest when he danced his way past two Reading bodies in the box before slotting it through the legs of Button.
There was a glimmer of hope for Ruben Selles’ side when Kelvin Abrefa, who replaced the injured Jeriel Dorsett at 3-0 down, drove forward and his cross was expertly flicked in by Ben Elliott.
Reading started to knock on the door with chances to try and find an unlikely route back into the match as Mbengue’s header was superbly stopped by Nathan Baxter.
However, Reading shot themselves in the foot again before the break when Tyler Bindon dragged down Charles in the box which allowed the forward to complete his hat-trick from the spot.
Reading looked to earn some pride back in the second-half and Sam Smith came close to getting on the scoresheet but was denied by Johnston’s block.
The Royals continued to show fight in the second-half and were inches away from making Bolton sweat when Ehibhatiomhan’s strike crashed off the crossbar.
The Royals again got themselves another goal back after Smith was tripped in the penalty box. Smith calmly converted to make it 4-2.
Despite a much improved second-half display from the visitors, it was Bolton who scored the final goal of the match through Kyle Dempsey who made it 5-2.
Next up for Reading in the league they host Huddersfield Town at the SCL on Saturday (12.30pm kick-off).
Bolton: Baxter, Johnston, Ricardo, Toal, Schon, Matete, Sheehan, Thomason, Dacres-Cogley, Charles, Adeboyejo
Subs: Arfield, Collins, Dempsey, Forino, McAtee, Southwood, Williams
Reading: Button, Dorsett, Mbengue, Bindon, Craig, Wing, Elliott, Knibbs, Campbell, Ehibhatiomhan, Smith
Subs: Boyce-Clarke, Abrefa, Dean, Savage, Wareham, Garcia, Akande
Goals: Sheehan 12’, Charles (pen) 21’, 33’, 45+4’, Elliott 41’, Smith (pen) 57’, Dempsey 87′
