Just the job, Clem
PAUL CLEMENT reached the century mark of games as a football boss, but having survived the nervy nineties, this one was agony for the Reading chief.
A condemned man by some accounts, Clement at least earned a stay of execution with the pardon slip signed by Leandro Bacuna, who struck a priceless winner – the only goal of a nerve-frayed second-half.
“I think I can stay another week, which is nice,” said Clement (below) with a smile, when asked if the result was a job-saver.
“That was a really important result for everyone involved – from the owners, through to me and ultimately, the players, too.
“It was important, but we are still in the bottom three. We’ve made it tighter and we’re not getting stranded.
“I’m sure if we win next week, we will get out of the bottom three. I’m also certain that if we stick together, then we will get our reward.”
For Lee Johnson’s Robins, this was another inconsistent display in a peakand-trough campaign.
Back-to-back wins have now been followed by two successive defeats. An eventful first-half ended with the sides level at 2-2.
Yakou Meite put Reading ahead when he reacted sharply in the box, but Marlon Pack equalised when he was put in by Jack Hunt’s clever pass.
Liam Kelly’s beautiful curling 25-yard effort restored Reading’s lead but they were very slack in letting Josh Brownhill make it 2-2.
Bacuna made it 3-2 from Garath Mccleary’s cross and Reading finally found some resolve, but they still had Sam Walker to thank for a late save to deny Andreas Weimann.
Johnson left it to assistant Dean Holden to dispute a penalty decision in the first-half. Holden said: “Adam Webster was going for the header and the player has made contact with him with a high foot.
“It was a clear penalty. But we didn’t defend well enough.”