The big compliment Portsmouth boy and former Chelsea midfielder John Swift has for hometown club after Reading clash

Kenny Jackett’s side stepped up their preparations for the play-off clash with Oxford United with a friendly against the Royals at the Madejski Stadium on Sunday.

The Blues went down to a 3-1 loss with Oli Hawkins on the scoresheet as 23 different players were used across the 90 minutes.

They went in 2-0 down at the break before reducing the arrears when they started brightly after the break.

And Gosport boy Swift explained it was hard to stay with Pompey in that period before the Championship put the game to bed.

The former Brune Park student had plenty of praise for Jackett’s men and their display.

He told readingfc.co.uk: ‘It was good and a good test of our mental strength.

‘They sat off us and let us have a lot of the ball, so it was good to get a goal early, relax a little bit, take an extra touch and an extra pass to stop us running.

‘But we came out in the second half a little bit sloppy and they ended up getting a goal, which made it a bit tougher.

‘But they are a good team and they know how they want to play.

‘When they kept the ball in the second half it was hard for us to get near them.

‘It was a good test and it was good to go up against a good team with a tough game against Stoke ahead.’

Swift was part of Pompey’s set-up when he was brought into the club at the age of 10 but was later released when Paul Hart was in charge of the academy.

He went on to play for Sunday league football until the age of 13, before being asked to attend a three-day trial at Chelsea.

Pompey made a return bid for the midfelder but he opted to sign for the Londoners where he made fine progress through the ranks.

Swift was unable to make the first-team breakthrough at Stamford Bridge among Chelsea’s galaxy of stars and, after loan stays with Rotherham, Swindon and Brentford, moved to Reading in 2016.