Under 18 report by Mark Cockram

MK Dons were dealt a cruel blow losing 2-1 with a late goal in the game against Reading on Saturday.

The result was tough on the young Dons, who had been the better side for the majority of the second half after a tight first period.

The kick-in-the-teeth goal came when the unlucky Oliver Thorne, who was stand in captain for the injured Miles Mitchell Coop and had had a superb match, put the ball into his own net in the last minute of normal time.

All the goals came in the second half, Reading taking the lead first with Hee Nom Tae's stunning volley from the edge of the area.

MK Dons replied instantly when Adam Chicksen made a wonderful pass which was coolly converted into the net by Liam Kelly past Reading goalkeeper Alex McCarthy.

The Dons came into this game wanting to get back to winning ways after their first defeat of 2008 against Leicester City. Mike Dove made two changes to the team defeated by the Foxes with Charlie Shuter and Martel Powell coming in for Mitchell Coop and Stephane Koffi.

Reading flew out of the blocks and piled on the pressure but the Royals couldn't carve out the chances to take an early lead.

The first clear-cut chance of the match did not come until the 16th minute when Reading's Oliver Kelly put through Raduslav Vasliev. He looked offside to the MK Dons defenders but the assistant didn't put his flag up.

Laurie Walker came off his line to save well from the big front man and also to save the blushes of his back four.

The tempo off the match dropped with both midfields show battling qualities, which kept the ball in the middle of the pitch.

MK Dons could have easily taken the lead with Charlie Shuter - the Dons midfielder doing really well to create space for himself but lashing his shot well wide of the post.

Dan Powell caused havoc to the Reading defenders on the 26th minute, taking the ball past the majority of the Royals defenders and shooting a thunderbolt at McCarthy, which made the young Reading goalkeeper spill the shot that nearly went into his net. Thankfully he gathered the ball up before being embarrassed.

Reading realised MK Dons were starting to step the game up a notch and knew they had to do something about it.

They nearly made their plan work when Vasilev shot very well but it was well watched by Walker who let it go out for a goal kick.

The battling Powell superbly created a glorious chance for his namesake Martel but the latter shot the ball wildly over the bar.

In the closing stages of the first half there was nothing to choose between with either of the teams, neither of them taking the advantage, which would have given either team the physiological edge going into half time.

Reading should have easily taken the lead early in the second half when Julian Kelly shot straight at Kurt Fox, who had come on for the injured Walker at half time.

The Dons defenders will have been disappointed they didn't clear the corner from which Reading did take the lead on 51 minutes.

It looked a routine set-piece to deal with, but the ball came to Tae on the edge of the area, who finished with a wonderful volley into the top right hand corner.

Dove's side replied within a minute with Chicksen playing a great ball into the area which Kelly arrived onto bang on cue to tap past McCarthy.

Reading almost regained the lead, which would have been well against the run of play - Andy White crossed a dangerous ball across the box but no one in a Reading shirt could capitalise on it.

The strong wind was taking its toll on the match which made shots and crosses on both teams go high or wide - Barnett's the only one to find the target with McCarthy saving easily.

Shuter kept McCarthy on his toes with a powerful shot from outside the area which the Royals 'keeper fumbled before recovering.

A splendid chance then came the way of White - the Reading man finding himself one on one with Fox and the Dons 'keeper producing a stunning save to deny him.

Dove brought Stephane Koffi off the bench to give the team the extra attacking option to win the game but it was Kelly who again went close with a speculative shot drifting wide from long range.

The closing stages of the game were played with a fast pace with both sides trying to steal the win right at the end of the match.

It was Reading that had lady luck on their side on the day. They visitors whipped a dangerous ball into the area from a free kick which Thorne tried to clear, but it unfortunately trickled into the net in what seemed like slow motion, to give Reading the lead right at the death.

MK Dons piled everybody forward in the stoppage time to get them that vital goal which would have given them a well deserved point and they nearly got something from doing so with Dan Powell's shot being saved by the outstretched leg of McCarthy.

Reading held on till the end to claim the points but the young Dons will certainly feel they were worthy of more.

MK Dons; Walker (Fox 45), King, Flanagan, Thorne (c), Chicksen, D.Powell, Barnett, Kelly, M.Powell, Shuter, Delderfield (Koffi 78)

Subs not used: Carter, Williams, Farden