Boss Mick McCarthy was delighted with his side’s opening day performance at Reading, despite the Royals coming from behind to win 2-1.

McCarthy felt his team were playing well and on top having gone ahead through Jay Tabb’s first ever goal at his old home ground: “We were comfortable, I thought we played really well, I thought we played really well all the game. I’m delighted with the performance.

“I asked for a benchmark performance, if that’s the benchmark that’s a pretty high standard for us. If we play like that every week and compete, play the way we did and create the chances that we did, we’ll be fine.”

McCarthy says Reading’s first goal was a Tyrone Mings own goal: “I think it’s come off Ty, I think it’s come off his back, he got turned around, it’s looked like somebody’s pulled him.

“I know Adam Le Fondre is claiming it, he’s a centre forward but I’m not so sure he touched it at all. But I’m sure Ty would prefer him to have it than himself.

“It was a great delivery [from Garath McCleary], sometimes you have to give to bit of credit. But I thought we should have done better and cleared it. But unfortunately we didn’t.

The Blues boss confirmed that the Royals’ second goal, scored by Danny Guthrie, caught a Town player before beating keeper Loach: “It took a deflection off Luke Hyam. I don’t think he’s going to beat him with a shot from there but the deflection took it up and looped over Loachy and gave him no chance really.”

Reading manager Nigel Adkins was happy to gain his first home win as Royals boss and his team's first opening day three points for a while: “It’s pleasing, as a football club we haven’t won on the opening day of the season since 2006. We’ve changed that one now with the victory, which is really pleasing.

“We’ve got three points on the board and that was important because it was always going to be a challenging fixture today when you look at the opposition, the manager, the way he sets things up, they’re a hard team to beat, Ipswich.

“Obviously when we’ve gone behind in the first half, having started brightly, all of a sudden you’ve got a challenge on your hands.

“Alfie pops up with a great goal right on half-time to change the complexion of the scoreline, he’s done ever so well to get between the two centre-halves and get his head on the ball.”

The ex-Southampton and Scunthorpe boss was in no doubt that the goal was Le Fondre’s: “It’s his goal.”

He added: “In the second half I thought we looked strong pushing forward, Danny Guthie, although it took a little bit of a deflection, it’s a good goal because I thought we were in the ascendency.

“And then we had to have that resolution at the end when the long throws were coming in at the end to defend them and go on and get the three points on the board.”

Photo: Action Images

BlueMachines added 07:50 - Aug 4 Both full backs looked weak. Mings only after he took a knock. Tabb looked very bright as did Taylor when he came on. Some work to do IMO. Midfield needs to be more effective/creative for us to make play offs. But hopefully MM can get us going this week!
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muccletonjoe added 08:10 - Aug 4 First game of season and we are under starters orders with the moaning and groaning , we may well have a month go past this season befor we pick it up , but we will get there
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Wickets added 09:24 - Aug 4 Constructive criticism not blind faith muccleton! are you suggesting we dont bother to pick up points for the first month of the season then play catch up? I was very dissopointed yesterday with our display. Reading where there for the takeing they looked nervy, we got in front then sat back. we forgot to defend the last couple of minutes of the first half, that was poor and our second half display was just as poor. When your game is built around pressure and endeavour you need to do just that, we didn't. Cannot understand why we allowed Alex Mcarthey to roll the ball to their defenders, time and time again so they could play from the back the halfway line unopposed, Why Mcartheys biggest fault is his kicking! we didn't force him to kick untill Taylor and Nouble came on late, too late. Did we not do our homework tactically?

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whittonite added 10:36 - Aug 4 with all due respect to elliot hewitt i think the only thing missing was richard stearman.i'am quietly hoping that we are still in some kind of talks to get him down here.elliot is a young guy but at 19 is he going to cope with a full season in the championship? please mr evans do what you can to get the final piece to a squad that looks like they will be competing a the right end end of the table.

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Stato added 10:38 - Aug 4 I'm with you Wickets. I love Mick and I know that over the course of the season he'll get the best out of the boys but why were we giving as much play time to the likes of October during pre-season matches as we did for the likes of Hewitt ? The lads faded in the second half and no surprise as they had all been "trained" to troop off at half time. I like Hewitt and Mings but see them at this stage as lacking experience and surprise choices to start in such a difficult away fixture. I thought they both did ok against Reading but if Cresswell is still unfit I'd expect Berra and Vesseli to start against Millwall I place of Mings and Hewitt.

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jas0999 added 10:49 - Aug 4 We certainly shouldn't be too critical of Mings ... but the question still remains, if Cresswell is out for a while, do we need better cover? Mings is only young, and perhaps some reserve games or a loan move would help him more at this stage? Posted yesterday that I felt disappointed and deflated by the defeat. However, upon reflection, feel less deflated today as does seem like a okay performance. STILL worried about creativity in midfield though - which seems to be highlighted by those at the game. Seems like Hyam and Skuse are both defensive. Poor defending for the first goal and would still like to see Loach take control of his area.

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blue_moon09 added 12:16 - Aug 4 The moaners brigade that don't to games are out in force again!!! It's just one game out of 46 game season. Stop moaning and go the games. I saw Town play very well against a side that will get promoted at the end of the season....
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Sindre94 added 13:35 - Aug 4 Not too worried but in the second half heads dropped, and unfortunately conceded a few unlucky goals. Loach did good today so wont blame him, hewitt looked ok and our cb's were solid as rock. Our best player was without doubt tabb, though murphy, edwards especially and mingmong disappointed me, but mings is still a young lad. I went yesterday, and will travel to stevenage before I return back to norway. Great work by our fans, we're excellent

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bohslegend added 16:16 - Aug 4 Wickets, I dont think you are being constructively critical. 1). "did we do our homework" 2). "forgot to defend the last couple of minutes" 3). "should Loach have done better" 4) cannot understand why Taylor didnt start" etc etc. None of these points are constructive. They are just critical. You need to acknowledge that we were up against a team full of premier league players, one of the favourites to win this league and we were away on the first day of the season. The League is a marathon, not a sprint. In a marathon does the eventual winner always take the lead and keep it from the starting line? Our job as fans is to encourage and S-U-P-P-O-R-T the team, leave the fickle criticism at home. COME ON YOU BLUES!

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muccletonjoe added 18:20 - Aug 4 We have new players involved in the squad , ie- mings, Hewitt , Anderson , Skuse , Taylor , do you expect them all to perform like they have been playing together for years? , well by the sound of it you do , but it will take a few weeks.
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Edwardebenezer added 19:31 - Aug 4 I thought Mings and Hewitt done OK, Edwards had a poor game and looked unfit as did a few of our players. Centre of midfiekd needs to be sorted and we need a prolific goal scorer. Better atmosphere in the pub than in the ground we must have peaked too soon!!
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BlueMachines added 23:04 - Aug 4 blue_moon09 What game where you at? I went to the Reading vs Ipswich game. And I stick to my opinion!!
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Beattiesballbag added 01:01 - Aug 5 Why is nearly every post containing comments on the young defenders short comings, they could be exceptional for 89 mins then one lapse of concentration the games lost because the forwards haven't contributed ANYTHING ! Yet hardly a comment on the forwards inability to put pressure on a Reading defence that were there for the taking . I know beggars can't be choosers & McGoldrick & Murphy were freebies but until someone better becomes available on a free the boys at the back are going to have their work cut out so give them a break....did any of them get a full 90 minutes during the preseason ? if not, it's not their fault they are not match fit yet.......but they still worked harder than the forwards. Having an exceptional defence saved the town last season but a good defence on it's own won't get us promotion, you need goals, at the very least a goal threat would help take pressure off the defence . It was a problem last season & still is.

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onetowatch added 07:34 - Aug 5 Why were nearly all new signings on bech. Sorry to say this but we finished bottom of goalscoring league last season and we have same strikers and not added to them. As always too lightweight up front we need to sign another Striker !
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Reecex28 added 10:26 - Aug 5 Lots of positives ( Hewitt and Skuse) and we could easily have wn the game. However, it was obvious that Hyam wasn't fully fit and his normal self. Agree over use of long ball - often going to McGoldrick who, not surprsingly didn't win anything. Midfield all too similar without a real creative spark Taylor looks a real class act and can't wait for him to be match fit. This will give MM a nice problem if he wants to play a target man and a smaller player in behind.

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NSL added 13:14 - Aug 5 It looked to me like the team were set up defensively on purpose in order to try and absorb Reading's wingers i.e. Edwards playing on the right to try and double up / help out Mings with Drenthe and it worked with us scoring a bit of a smash and grab to go infront. People are whinging about lack of creativity but that was not the tactic here. We were away to Reading who are definately one of the strongest in the league. Mick was hardly going to go gung-ho was he?! At the end of the day we have lost to an own goal and a massive deflection. Yes, you do tend to create your own 'luck' and Reading had most of the possesion. If there was any critisism I would probably point the finger at Loach for both of the goals. 1-1 - He just stood there and should have claimed the ball from the cross and 1-2 he was falling back and sort of stumbled over. The shot wasnt even that high!! Solid keeper but I fear he is not going to be a match winner. Wouldnt be surpised if Loach / Gherken end up playing a fiarly even amount of games between them this seaosn. Harsh analysis perhaps . . . . . . . . . . . .

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