Nicholas Bignall scored his fourth goal in two games for Reading Reserves as they beat QPR Reserves at Hogwood Park in a behind closed-doors friendly today.

The 20-year-old made his Championship debut three days ago coming on as a sub in the 1-0 win over Barnsley and was also joined on the score-sheet by vice-captain Alex Pearce and Hal Robson-Kanu.

On-loan Blackburn utility player Zurab Khizanishvili played 90 minutes as well as fit-again Czech Republic international midfielder Marek Matejovsky.

Right-back Julian Kelly also returned from a lengthy layoff, finally shaking off a shoulder injury after surgery at the end of last year.

Khizanishvili began the game in the centre of midfield, but switched to centre-back after the early withdrawal of Michael Hector.

Pearce opened the scoring when he headed home a cross from James Henry and the second string doubled their lead after 35 minutes when Bignall smashed in a rocket after neat work from strike partner Robson-Kanu.

Robson-Kanu then rounded off the rout with 15 minutes to go, latching on to a pass from substitute and Wales Under-21 hopeful Jake Taylor.

Reserves boss Eamonn Dolan said: “It was a good performance, I know Brian McDermott and Nigel Gibbs would have been pleased by it and that’s the important thing.

“We played at a high tempo from the start, and it was good for the young boys to play with some lads with first team experience. 

“Marek, Zurab and Tabby set brilliant examples for the less experienced lads.”

Reading Reserves: Hamer, Kelly, Cummings, Pearce (c), Hector (Taylor 15), Tabb, Henry, Khizanishvili, Matejovsky (Davies, 45), Bignall (Bell-Baggie, 70), Robson-Kanu.

Unused sub: Mills