Cambridge United old boys came back to haunt the relegation-threatened side as Harvey Knibbs and Sam Smith found the net in a 3-1 win for Reading.

The pair departed the Abbey Stadium in 2023 to move to Berkshire and have become firm favourites with the Royals, and continued to endear themselves with the goals in the New Year's Day victory.

Noel Hunt made two changes from the win over Mansfield Town on December 29, although it was three come kick-off as Amadou Mbengue came down ill in the build-up. Louie Holzman and Andre Garcia came in from the start, replacing Abraham Kanu and Michael Craig.

The theme of the game was set from inside 60 seconds as Joel Pereira was forced into his first save of a busy first half- despite Reading kicking the game off. Dominated out wide throughout, with the Royals’ right taking a particular battering, the centre-back pairing of Bindon and Dean were the busiest men in Cambridge.

Jordan Cousins and Smith were particularly keen to beat Pereira, both lining up multiple shots early on. It took eight minutes for Reading to muster an effort, Charlie Savage firing a shot well over the crossbar.

Josh Stokes and Dan Nlundulu joined Smith and Cousins in warming Pereira palms, while the referee was not popular among the home faithful as Stokes took a tumble in the box and penalty appeals were waved away. Soaking up plenty of pressure, it felt like it was only a matter of time before the U’s opened the scoring.

However, football does not always go to plan and thankfully, from a Reading perspective, it did not go to plan today. Recycling their first corner of the day, with five minutes remaining of the half, Holzman drilled a cross into a busy six-yard box and Knibbs, the former Cambridge favourite, was on hand to bundle the Royals into an unlikely lead.

The hosts nearly levelled immediately afterwards, Stokes seeing a deflected shot clip the post in a crowded penalty area. Clearing the corner, Reading could have doubled their lead before the break as a quick counter saw them overload the hosts six players to two. Unfortunately, the other returning former U, Sam Smith, got his legs in a muddle and was unable to muster an effort on target.

Cambridge began the second half in similar vein to the first, on the front foot. It took less than three minutes for the hosts to deservedly pull level, former Huddersfield Town forward on hand to convert at the back post from a corner.

They were only pegged back for a matter of minutes, however, as Reading put their noses in front yet again shortly after. Smith nearly headed in, but the clearance fell to Savage. The Wales international’s effort was flying wide, but Knibbs was on hand to redivert it past Jack Stevens and into the net for his brace.

A close encounter throughout, Cambridge were creating plenty and substitute Abraham Kanu was required to block an effort off the line shortly after replacing the injured Mamadi Camara. Knibbs came close to sealing a hattrick late on, but his header went narrowly wide of the far post.

With five minutes to go, Smith killed the game and in some fashion. A long cross-field ball was dropping over his shoulder and the striker sent a powerful, dipping volley over Stevens and into the corner to sent the 1,025 travelling supporters into ecstasy.

Jayden Wareham clipped the post in stoppage time which could have added extra gloss to the win, but Reading now head to Charlton Athletic on Saturday still firmly in the play-off picture.