Cureton 24, 40, 50 pen, Henderson 32, Parkinson 37
Attendance: 7,818
Reading Starting Line-Up: P Whitehead, G Murty, J Mackie (A Williams 80), A Viveash, N Shorey (A Smith 76), S Igoe (J Harper 68), P Parkinson (A Hughes, 76), J Gamble (K Watson 76), A Rougier (J Salako 50), J Cureton, D Henderson (M Butler 60)
West Ham Starting Line-Up: James (Van der Gouw 79); Schemmel (McCann 68), Repka (Pearce 45), Dailly (Breen 65), Winterburn (Minto 59); Garcia (Johnson 65), Cole (Labant 65), Carrick (Courtois 71), Sinclair (Moncur 45); Defoe (Sofiane 65), Kanoute (Camara 65)
Reading won a sensational pre-season friendly against West Ham 5-4, despite falling going 2-0 down in nineteen minutes. The Royals battled back firing five goals past England World Cup star David James, Jamie Cureton bagged a hat-trick.
Glenn Roeder's team threatened to get back into it with two late goals but the Hammers had been well and truly hammered.
The 7,818 attendance was much improved on the crowd that turned up for the Charlton fixture but never-the-less still a disappointing figure. Those who chose to pay the high ticket prices were well rewarded with a, shock-horror, exciting pre-season friendly.
Frenchman Frederic Kanoute put the Hammers into a seventeenth minute, having missed two earlier chances to give his side the lead. The strikers clever turn and shot had the beating of Royals goalkeeper Phil Whitehead.
Darius Henderson, who had an excellent game, had an excellent header magnificently kept out by James just prior to Kanoute's opener.
Just two minutes later youngster Jermaine Defoe hit the Madejski Stadium net for the fourth time in his short career, having previously scored for the England Under 21s (twice) and Bournemouth.
Defoe's twenty-five yard drive slipped and skidded off the wet surface and past Whitehead, doubling the Hammers advantage.
Incencsed by the fact they had made such a poor start Reading went back and hit the Hammers where it hurt, firing goal after goal.
Jamie Cureton got one back just five minutes after Defoe's goal, his twenty-yard free kick was possibly the pick of the goals, it takes something special to beat an England goalkeeper from there.
Darius Henderson, who looks like he might have a big season ahead of him after he developed from a boy into a man in yesterday's game, levelled the game by being quick on the scene after his initial header, from Sammy Igoe's cross, had been saved.
Phil Parkinson powered home a net-breaking volley from fifteen yards to give the Royals the lead before Cureton scored his second and Reading's fourth in the fortieth minute. Curo turned Rougier's cross in from twelve yards as the West Ham defence stood motionless.
The half-time whistle came as a relief for the Hammers defence who had suffered sixteen minutes of torture in which the Royals had lashed in four goals.
Reading hadn't finished the scoring, Jamie Cureton added a fifth from the penalty spot five minutes after the break after Igoe had been fouled by James.
At 5-2 down fearing humiliation at the hands of the press the Hammers bucked up their ideas, England international Joe Cole powered in Michael Carrick's low cross to make it 5-3, in the midst of a ten minute spell filled with a spate of West Ham substitutions.
Ten minutes from time former Liverpool striker Titi Camara made it 5-4 with a stunning striker from the edge of the box. The Hammers threatened to make it 5-5 in the final few minutes but the Reading defence held firm.
The spectacular win will do much to boost confidence ahead of Saturday's opening day clash with Derby, whilst the Royals fired home goal after goal the Rams went down 2-1 at the hands of Serie A side Lazio.
Darius Henderson was particuarly impressive, he may well have played well enough to win a place in the starting line-up at Derby. Also, the team lined up in a 4-5-1 formation again to great affect.
After an impressive pre-season which has seen six wins, one draw and one defeat the Royals are more than capable of getting a result on opening day at Derby.