Reading FC crashed out of the Carabao Cup in the first-round as they were defeated by League Two Colchester United on penalties.
The Royals found themselves two goals down before a stunner from Charlie Savage and a Lewis Wing free-kick took the game to a shootout.
The game went to penalites and after Kelvin Ehibhationhan and Amadou Mbengue had their spot kicks saved, Reading were eliminated 4-3.
Ruben Selles made nine changes from the weekend’s draw with Birmingham. Captain Lewis Wing and Harvey Knibbs were the only ones to keep their places as the Spaniard put his trust in the youth.
But the Royals suffered an early blow and conceded with just two minutes on the clock when Tom Hopper rose highest to head home from a corner for the hosts.
Selles made an early switch which saw Abarham Kanu taken off just over half an hour in after the young defender had a torrid time and was lucky to escape a second yellow card.
After a lacklustre first-half display, Selles made two changes at the break which saw Mamadi Camara and Kelvin Ehibhatiomhan replace Adrian Akande and Emmanuel Osho.
The League Two outfit doubled their lead when Jack Payne drilled the ball down the middle from the penalty spot in the 55th minute.
The Royals got themselves back in the contest thanks to a moment of brilliance from Charlie Savage who hit a thunderbolt past Matt Macey from 25 yards.
The comeback was almost short lived as goalkeeper Coniah Boyce-Clarke had to stay strong to make a reflex save to prevent Colchester from restoring their two goal advantage.
Reading were back on level terms when Wing produced a trademark free-kick as bent the ball past the Colchester wall to find the bottom corner.
The game went to penalties and misses from Ehibhatiomhan and Mbengue saw Reading go out of the cup.
Colchester United: Macey, Iandolo, Kelleher, Bishop, Tovide, Payne, Hopper, Egbo, Hunt, Edwards, Woodyard
Subs: Smith, Gordon, Read, Bendle, Greenidge, Thorn, Terry, Oni, Ihionvien
Reading: Boyce-Clarke, Abrefa, Dean, Kanu, Osho, Wing, Savage, Knibbs, Garcia, Akande, Wareham
Subs: Pereira, Elliott, Ehibhatiomhan, Bindon, Tuma, Mbengue, Camara, Ahmed, Sackey
Goals: Hopper 2’, Payne (pen) 55’, Savage 65’
