READING FC will travel to League Two Stevenage in the Emirates FA Cup third round.

It will be the third time Royals will have faced Stevenage in the competition in the last seven years, having never crossed paths before that.

Last night’s draw was held at Slough Town’s Arbour Park stadium before their televised second-round clash against Rochdale, a game the non-league Rebels lost 4-0 to the League One visitors.

The draw was made by former England boss Glenn Hoddle and ex-Spurs and England midfielder Jermaine Jenas, with Stevenage ball number 54 and Reading number 33.

Reading’s first visit to Broadhall Way in the 2010-11 campaign proved a successful one as Brian McDermott’s side clinched a 2-1 victory in the fourth round when Mikele Leigertwood blasted Royals in front, Darius Charles levelled but Shane Long struck a late winner.

It was the catalyst for a memorable run as McDermott’s men toppled Everton in the fifth round at Goodison Park before a narrow defeat to Manchester City in the quarter final.

But it was different story the following year as Stevenage got their own back by knocking Royals out in the third round with a 1-0 win at Madejski Stadium with Charles their goalscoring hero.

Bracknell News: On target: Shane Long netted his 20th goal for Reading this season in a comfortable 3-1 win at Ipswich Town. Long was one of three Irishmen on target on the night along with Ian Harte and Noel Hunt.

Former Royals striker, Shane Long.

Stevenage, like Reading, have had a stuttering start to the season and are currently 15th in League Two.

But Darren Sarll’s Boro clearly possess a goal threat having beaten Swindon Town 5-2 in the second round, Danny Newton bagging a brace.

Jaap Stam’s Royals climbed to 14th in the Championship table last Saturday after a 3-1 win at Sunderland.

The third-round tie at Broadhall Way, now called the Lamex Stadium, will take place between January 5-8.

FA Cup third round draw: Ipswich v Sheffield United; Watford v Bristol City; Birmingham v Burton; Liverpool v Everton; Brighton v Crystal Palace; Aston Villa v Woking or Peterborough; Bournemouth v AFC Fylde or Wigan; Coventry v Stoke; Newport v Leeds; Bolton v Huddersfield; Port Vale or Yeovil v Bradford; Nottingham Forest v Arsenal; Brentford v Notts County; QPR v MK Dons; Manchester United v Derby; Forest Green or Exeter v West Brom; Doncaster v Rochdale; Tottenham v AFC Wimbledon; Middlesbrough v Sunderland; Fleetwood or Hereford v Leicester; Blackburn or Crewe v Hull; Cardiff v Mansfield; Manchester City v Burnley; Shrewsbury v West Ham; Wolves v Swansea; Stevenage v Reading; Newcastle v Luton; Millwall v Barnsley; Fulham v Southampton; Wycombe v Preston; Norwich v Chelsea; Gillingham or Carlisle v Sheffield Wednesday.