Reading 3
Mooney 16
Pearce 60
Bossman 80

Argyle 3
Folly 47, 62
Mpenza 56

BELGIAN striker Emile Mpenza's first goal for the club, sandwiched between a Yoann Folly brace, saw Argyle grind out an entertaining 3-3 Combination Cup draw with Reading at the Madejski Stadium.

Despite Reading's 1-0 half-time lead courtesy of David Mooney, Argyle fought back and found themselves level and then in front thanks to Yoann Folly and then Emile Mpenza.

Alex Pearce grabbed an equaliser for the Royals before Folly restored the lead for Argyle, only for substitute Kelvin Bossman to level again with ten minutes remaining.

With many fearing that the international break would stifle Argyle's run, Luggy named a strong team featuring only one non-pro player.

Due to the illness of Graham Stack, young custodian Lloyd Saxton took the gloves in behind Krisztián Timár, Jim Paterson, Shane White and Ben Gerring.

Nicolas Marin, Simon Walton, Yoann Folly and Jason Puncheon formed a formidable midfield with Emile Mpenza and Steve MacLean leading the line up top.

Reading's line-up Alex Pearce and James Henry as well as James Harper and Kalifa Cisse - both players who featured when Argyle's first team lost here 2-0 back in August.

The opening exchanges saw corners for both teams but perhaps the most promising thing for Argyle was the amount of time French winger Nicolas Marin was spending on the ball.

His runs tricky and his pace frightening, he was certainly worrying poor Julian Kelly at right-back.

But it was Reading who took the lead thanks to a communication mix up between KrisztiánTimár and Lloyd Saxton.

With a loose ball rolling gingerly towards goal around 35 yards out, Timár left it to Saxton, and Saxton left it to Timár until the young 'keeper took the initiative to coming running from his goal.

Although he came close to making contact, Nicholas Bignall took it away from him and squared it to David Mooney who placed it into the empty net. Saxton soon made amends, however, saving brilliantly from a long-range Bignall drive.

Argyle were barely threatening and, despite having lots of possession deep into the Royals half, there was never an end-product and the best opportunity went down as a failed overhead kick from Nicolas Marin.

Who does he think he is? Rory Fallon?

But then just before half-time, the Pilgrims sparked into life and were handed a gilt-edged chance that really should have been converted when Jason Puncheon did well to reach a Marin cross before knocking it back across the area for a team-mate to tap home. Unfortunately, that team-mate never arrived.

When the second-half kicked off, it was immediately apparent that the Pilgrims were out for the win and were rewarded after just two minutes when Mpenza's ricocheted shot was fired home by Folly.

Reading were clearly not lying down though and would have had an instant repy had it not been for the heroic goalkeeping of Lloyd Saxton. When Sigurdsson received the ball at his feet just six yards out, there seemed only one outcome but Saxton would not be beaten and rushed to block at the striker's feet.

This only seemed to spur Argyle on further; so far in fact that they took the lead soon after with Mpenza's first goal for the club.

Having been put through by fellow striker Steve MacLean, Mpenza found himself clear in between the centre-halves with only the keeper to beat. And that he did?just; the ball striking the under-body of Andersen and bobbling in.

It wasn't pretty but they all count.

Reading were soon level, however, Alex Pearce heading in Oliver Bozanic's deep cross. It was harsh on the Pilgrims, who, having gained substantial momentum, were now back to square one.

Thankfully, they were soon ahead again. When Marin and MacLean's shots were beaten out by 'keeper Andersen, Folly arrived on the scene to bag his second of the afternoon.

Back at the other end, Saxton proved that lightening never strikes twice when a carbon copy of Alex Pearce' first goal began to unfold. Only this time, Saxton knew what was coming and dived brilliantly to his right to keep out the Reading captain.

Despite this being a Wednesday afternoon fixture, the Green Army were still represented by about ten or so supporters who had definite cause of concern with 15 minutes to go when Dan Smith replaced the slightly limping Nicolas Marin for what they can only hope is a precaution.

But ten minutes remaining, Reading substitute Kelvin Bossman drew his side level with a neat finish from a few yards out. Argyle were still searching for the win and just two minutes later, Dan Smith's swerving shot bent just wide of Andersen's far post.

The final exchanges were scrappy with both sides trying to win the tie but the Pilgrims held on.

What a cracker!

Argyle (4-4-2): 1 Lloyd Saxton; 2 Shane White, 5 Krisztián Timár (capt), 6 Ben Gerring, 3 Jim Paterson; 7 Nicolas Marin (15 Dan Smith 72), 8 Yoann Folly, 4 Simon Walton, 11 Jason Puncheon; 9 Emile Mpenza, 10 Steve MacLean.
Subs (not used): 13 Ollie Chenoweth, 14 Sean Kinsella, 16 Ashley Barnes, 17 Ryan Brett

Reading (4-4-2): 1 Mikkel Andersen; 2 Julian Kelly, 5 Alex Pearce (capt), 6 Kalifa Cisse, 3 Scott Golbourne; 11Oliver Bozanic (16 Kelvin Bossman 61), 4 James Harper, 8 Nicholas Bignall (15 Gary Frewen 81), 7 James Henry; 9 Dave Mooney, 10 Gylfi Sigurdsson.
Subs (not used): 12 Daniel Spence, 13 Alex McCarthy (gk), 14 Tom Hateley.

Referee: M McLaughlin