City broke the deadlock early on, a soft pass in the Reading defence allowing Stiepermann to run onto the loose ball, round the goalkeeper and tap it across the line.

The Royals came close to an instant response, Sone Aluko hitting the crossbar from the edge of the D.

Norwich could have increased their lead when Rowe was fouled in the penalty area and the referee awarded a spot kick. However, Josh Martin shot to the goalkeeper's left, Coniah Boyce-Clarke guessing the right way to make the save.

Dejan Tetek turned away from the Norwich area to play the ball out to Mamadi Camara, who fired over the bar moments later.

Orjan Nyland was called into action for the first time on his first U23s start in the 24th minute, diving down to his right to push a powerful strike onto the post before getting up quickly to make himself big and smother the rebound.

At the other end, Martin crossed for Tom Dickson-Peters, but Boyce-Clarke got out in time to block the shot.

Stiepermann spotted the Reading number one off his line on the brink of half-time and went for goal from just beyond the halfway line, but Boyce-Clark got back in time to catch it.

Melvin Sitti found the back of the net early in the second half but was flagged for offside before Nyland got down to his right to deny Ryan East from distance.

Norwich made it 2-0 in the 57th minute, a dominant passage of play ending with Stiepermann finding Rowe inside the 18-yard box, who took a touch and buried it into the bottom right corner.

Nyland made another save at his near post, this time to prevent Femi Azeez from getting on the scoresheet but Reading continued to look dangerous, Thierry Nevers racing into the area, beating Andrew Omobamidele and sending the shot over the bar.

In the 72nd minute, the home side did pull one back, East sending a cross in from the right wing that Nevers was quick to react to, slotting the ball beneath Nyland for 2-1.

But the Canaries made sure of the three points on the brink of the final whistle when Matthew Dennis, on as a substitue, found Stiepermann on the counter-attack. The latter smashed it in off the far post for 3-1 to complete his brace.

Reading starting XI: Boyce-Clarke (GK), Hewitt, Dorsett, Watson, Stickland, Luzon, Tetek (Leavy 46'), East (c), Aluko, Camara (Lawless 76'), Nevers
Subs not used: Azeez, Holden, Ajose
Goals: Nevers (72')
Bookings: Watson (17')

Norwich City starting XI: Nyland (GK), Mumba, Omobamidele (c), Warner, Nizet, Riley (McAlear 79'), Sitti, Stiepermann, Rowe (Giurgi 74'), Dickson-Peters (Dennis 81'), Martin
Subs not used: Rose (GK), Tomkinson
Goals: Stiepermann (6', 90'), Rowe (57')
Bookings:

Stiepermann and Rowe on target as U23s beat Reading 3-1

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