Reading 2 Liverpool 4

Reading 2 (Convey 28, Halls 64)
Liverpool 4 (Benayoun 23, Torres 50, 72, 86)

For the second season running Reading and Liverpool played out an entertaining Carling Cup third round encounter, but once again it was Liverpool that advanced to the next round after a 4-2 victory, and a Fernando Torres hat-trick.

The match started brightly, with both sides playing their part, but it was Reading that should have opened the scoring. John Halls’ cross-found an unmarked Leroy Lita, but from just six yards out he headed straight Liverpool’s debutant goalkeeper Charles Itandje.

Two minutes after this chance went begging, as was inevitable Liverpool were ahead through Yossi Benayoun, who went on a solo run before beating Adam Federici midway through the first half.

After Fernando Torres should have made it two, a Nicky Shorey corner was cleared to Bobby Convey on the edge of the area to volley home a superb goal from 20-yards, his first goal since March 2006. The challenge that Steve Coppell has set him was being met.

Reading could have been ahead at half time, but Bobby Convey this time put a header over.

With Emerse Fae dispossessed by Yossi Benayoun, Fernando Torres was played in, and after the Spaniard had held off Michael Duberry’s challenge he calmly finished to restore the Liverpool lead early in the second half.

After being fortunate not to concede a penalty, after an apparent Andre Bikey foul on Fernando Torres Reading were level again. Charles Itandje made a mistake and John Halls was able to tuck home.

It didn’t take Liverpool long to go ahead for a third time though as Fernando Torres converted John Arne Riise’s pass, dispatching this into the top corner.

Reading were looking to get level for a third time, and never gave up, and Leroy Lita looked as though he might have done this, but his overhead kick was well saved by Charles Itandje, who made up for his earlier error.

With time running out Steve Coppell threw on Dave Kitson, Stephen Hunt and youngster James Henry, the 18-year old was making his Reading debut.

Adam Federici did well to deny Yossi Benayoun a second goal in the final ten minutes, but minutes later the match was finished as Steven Gerrard put Fernando Torres clean through. He rounded Adam Federici to slot home his hat-trick goal and kill off a resilient Reading.

Reading: Federici; De La Cruz, Shorey, Bikey, Duberry; Fae, Harper (c), Convey (Kitson 78), Halls (Hunt 78); Lita, Long (Henry 78)
Subs: Hahnemann, Cisse
Booked: Bikey, Duberry, Fae

Liverpool: Itandje; Finnan, Aurelio (Riise 69); Arbeloa, Carragher (c); Leiva (Hobbs 89), Sissoko; Benayoun, Leto; Crouch (Gerrard 77), Torres
Subs: Martin, Putterill
Booked: Leiva