Reading FC Under 21s are through to the final four of the Premier League 2 play-offs as John Clarke’s brace helped them to defeat Nottingham Forest.
Jayden Wareham scored from the penalty spot to give the Royals an early lead before Clarke found his first of the afternoon.
Forest reduced the deficit before the break but Clarke popped up with another header which sent Reading through.
Noel Hunt made just one change from the team that defeated Middlesbrough last weekend as John Clarke returned to the side in place of Basil Tuma.
The Royals were looking to make it through to the final four of the Premier League play-offs having already got past Boro thanks to an Adrian Akande double.
Reading finished in sixth position in PL2 on 35 points, while Forest ended in 14th on 28 points.
The Royals made a lively start and took the initiative in the opening stages as they looked to use the energy of playing in front of more than 1,000 home spectators at the Select Car Leasing Stadium.
The fast start paid off when from the aftermath of a corner, Louie Holzman was tripped in the box which left the referee no choice but to point to the penalty spot.
Striker Jayden Wareham stopped up to take responsibility and kept his cool as he sent the goalkeeper the wrong way and slotted the ball into the bottom left corner to give the Royals the lead after eight minutes.
Reading came close to doubling their advantage a few minutes later when Charlie Wellings sent a dangerous ball across the face of the area and with Wareham poaching for a tap in, a Forest defender pinched the ball first to make a vital interception.
Forest had their first venture forward after 15 minutes, but it fizzled out after Adrian Akande got back to help his side defensively and win the ball on the edge of the box.
John Clakre came a matter of inches away from making it 2-0 when a deep cross was met by him from a narrow angle as his header bounced off the frame of the goal.
10 minutes after striking the woodwork, this time Clarke found the back of the net as he got on the end of Matty Carson’s inswinging corner and his looping header found the corner.
Despite Reading’s dominance, their lead was halved before the break when Forest scored from their first attack of any note which ended with Esapa Osong arrowing the ball past Coniah Boyce-Clarke into the bottom corner with a clinical finish.
Hunt’s team came out in search of restoring their two-goal lead in the second-half and came close with a stunning free-kick from Carson and a shot from Tuma which was pushed over the top.
Clarke popped up again in the middle to make it 3-1 when he planted a header into the corner from close range.
Wellens looked to find a fourth to put the tie to bed but had his free-kick pushed away by the Forest keeper.
With Forest desperate to try and stay in the cup tie, they were frustrated as Reading kept control of the ball confidently.
Forest did find a chance to set up a nearby finish as the ball bounced around dangerously in the Reading box before John Ryan made a crucial block on the line.
The Royals are now through to the semi-finals which will take place next weekend.
Reading: Boyce-Clarke, Ryan, Holzman, Stickland, Clarke, Carson, Akande, Wellens, Borgnis, Okine-Peters, Wareham
Subs: Collins, Paul, Senga, Tuma, Clark
Nottingham Forest: Bott, Thompson, McAdam, Hanks, McDonnell, Abbott, Perkins, Perry, Osong, Konate, Nadin
Subs: Trialist, Powell, Gardner, Newton, Sinclair
Goals: Wareham 8’ (pen), Clarke 35’, 66’, Osong 38’
