Boss Joe Royle had no complaints after his side lost 2-0 to Reading at the Madejski Stadium. The Town manager was impressed with the Berkshire team and expects them to be in the running for promotion come the end of the season.

Royle said: "They were bigger, stronger and quicker than us. They deserved to win.

"The difference between the two clubs is that they went out and added two strikers to their squad in the summer while I had to get rid of four or six players.

"We were poor, embarrassing at times, and I have to apologise to our fans who made the journey to support us.

"Reading were athletic, direct, strong and created chances, and we were none of those things.

"We didn't keep the ball well enough and when we did put 10 or 12 passes together, we didn't go anywhere. They played two or three and were in our box. We need to get the balance right.

"Our defenders were our best players, Sito, Richard Naylor, Fabian. Adam Proudlock did very well when he came on at the break. He looked quick and strong and could easily have had a goal. His performance was one of the few positives.

"We can do a lot better but we have to give Reading credit. They look as though they will be there at the end of the season."

Royle felt referee Steve Tanner was right not to red card Jason De Vos for his clash with Kevin Doyle early in the first half: "I don't think Jason should have been sent off. I didn't even think it was a foul."

Steve Coppell agreed that there was no infringement but thought the referee handled the situation poorly. "I didn't think it was a foul, but after consulting his assistant the referee decided it was and I think that at that point he had no option but to send the player off."

Coppell reserved most of his post-match praise for young Irishman Kevin Doyle: "The lad has come from nowhere.

"Three of us went to Ireland to look at him at different times and then we just decided to take a chance on the player.

"I can't really remember what it was that I particularly liked about him. I had five pints of Guinness in the afternoon and it was all a bit blurred.

"He has taken his chance and the nice thing is he's what I call a low maintenance player; he comes in, trains and then goes home. He has no ego and he's a lovely lad."

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