READING FC manager Paul Ince has challenged his team to regroup and ‘go again’ after their defeat to QPR.
The Royals lost out after Lyndon Dykes slotted a late penalty to put QPR above Reading in the table.
“It wasn’t a game too far when we concede in the 87th minute. I don’t think in the first half we believed we could have won it,” said Ince.
“I don’t know if that was fatigue or tiredness. I wasn’t best pleased and they were told that at half-time.
“Second half we came out and looked like a better team. It’s tough with three games in six days, QPR had the same thing. It’s brutal.
“We’re short as a squad so to play three games in six days is tough, we’re not bloody robots. Klopp said the other day ‘less is more’ because you get better quality. The EFL don’t give a monkeys and neither do Sky and we’ve got to do it again in two weeks time.”
Ince was praising of Joe Lumley who made some magnificent saves to keep Reading in the game, but was frustrated to lose the game late on.
He continued: “The game wasn’t going anywhere. Joe made some really good saves to keep us in the game but I was just disappointed with the penalty.
“The geezer is running 100mph and waiting for contact. We made silly decisions, Junior dives in, Mama dives in. In those games you have to make the right decision.
“We’re normally good at keeping a goal lead, but Nesta doesn’t stop the cross and Holmes got beat and it’s 1-1.
“The fans were unbelievable. Considering the rail strikes, the atmosphere was incredible. It would have been nice for them to go back with some points. Im frustrated more than anything and now we’ve got to go again
“Hutch was a calf injury, I think it’s the sixth this season. He doesn’t come off for anything, he’s tough.
“Luckily we’ve got eight days off to regroup.”
