Alton lost 4-3 on penalties against Reading City after the two sides played out an entertaining 2-2 draw in the second round of the Cherry Red Records Premier Challenge Cup.

Goals from Angel Zapata and Alex Merrifield fired the Brewers into a 2-0 lead at the Exclusive Networks Stadium, but Ousman Darboe’s double took the tie to spot kicks.

The visitors were quick out of the traps and nearly took the lead in the second minute when Emil Mursalov hit a low shot which was well held by Alton keeper Rhomey Ashby-Hammond at his near post.

Reading won a free kick in a dangerous position on the edge of the box on nine minutes which was rolled back to Darboe, whose shot was deflected onto the crossbar.

The Brewers created their first clearcut chance of the evening in the 12th minute when Alex MacAllister's flicked header was well parried away by Reading keeper Anton Robinson.

The visitors then went close on 19 minutes when Mursalov got on the end of a ball down the right-hand channel and drove into the box before hitting his shot over the bar.

Alton went down the other end a minute later and Josh Millo whipped a lovely ball into the box from the right which found MacAllister, whose acrobatic volley was parried behind for a corner by Robinson.

The Brewers went even closer on 27 minutes when Millo picked out Zapata on the left, whose effort beat Robinson but was cleared off the line by a recovering defender.

The hosts continued to press and created another chance in the 32nd minute when Millo again found Zapata on the left, and Zapata’s powerful effort rattled the crossbar.

Alton took the lead a minute later when Millo cut the ball back across the box to Zapata at the back post, who confidently tapped the ball home from close range.

The Brewers nearly doubled their advantage on 44 minutes when MacAllister's ball in from the left found Millo in the middle of the box, but he was unable to control the ball.

The hosts went close again in first-half stoppage time when Millo’s powerful shot rattled the crossbar.

The Brewers doubled their advantage on 55 minutes when a corner picked out Merrifield, who powered his header into the bottom left-hand corner of the net past Robinson.

The visitors nearly pulled a goal back four minutes later when the ball was worked to Jay Herbert on the right-hand side of the box, but his low shot was well held by Ashby-Hammond.

Reading did pull a goal back in the 62nd minute when a cut back from the left found Darboe in the box, who confidently placed his close-range finish past Ashby-Hammond into the back of the net.

The visitors nearly got back on level terms on 71 minutes when Mursalov cut in from the left and curled his right-foot shot just wide of the far post.

Alton manager Kevin Adair made his first change of the evening in the 73rd minute, with Isaac Nash replacing Karol Skoczen.

The Brewers nearly restored their two-goal advantage six minutes later when MacAllister got the ball in a promising position in the box, but he fired his effort over the bar.

Adair made his second substitution of the evening on 84 minutes, with George Comben replacing Zapata.

MacAllister had another good chance a minute later, but his header was straight at Robinson.

The visitors got back on level terms in spectacular style in the 89th minute when Darboe got the ball outside the box and fired a superb swerving shot into the top left-hand corner of the net to make it 2-2.

Alton had a late chance to win the game when MacAllister’s ball into the box found Nash, but his shot went just wide and the tie went to penalties.

Millo took Alton’s first penalty and sent Robinson the wrong way to put Alton 1-0 up in the shootout. Herbert took Reading’s first penalty and blasted his effort well over the bar.

MacAllister took Alton’s second penalty and saw his effort well saved by Robinson, before Dan Davies fired his spot kick straight down the middle to make it 1-1.

Adam Poynter took Alton’s third penalty and dragged his effort wide of the right-hand post, before Luke Donville fired his spot kick into the right-hand corner to put Reading 2-1 up.

Nash took Alton’s fourth penalty and stroked his spot kick straight down the middle to make it 2-2, before Louis Eade sent Ashby-Hammond the wrong way to put Reading 3-2 up.

Matt Benham took Alton’s fifth penalty and picked out the top left-hand corner to make it 3-3, before Ashby–Hammond superbly saved Darboe’s penalty.

Comben’s low penalty was saved by Robinson, before Riley Denny’s low penalty sent Reading through to the next round.

Next up for Alton is a trip to Guildford City in the Combined Counties Premier Division South on Wednesday, December 10 (7.30pm kick-off).