GOMES PLEADS FOR ROYALS TO BE RUTHLESS
JOSE Gomes criticised his Reading players for their lack of a killer instinct after an edgy draw with fellow Championship strugglers Rotherham United.
Liverpool loanee Ovie Ejaria gave Reading a 31st-minute lead when he guided home his first goal for the club.
But Rotherham’s second-half pressure paid off, with defender Semi Ajayi scoring the equaliser 11 minutes from the end.
“The big lesson we learned was that if you are winning 1-0, you must find a way to score a second goal,” Gomes said.
“We should have scored that second goal, but Rotherham came back to get the draw.
“It was a tough and difficult game against opponents who play direct football. A lot of time the ball was in the air and that made it difficult to put the ball on the ground and play.
“But after going 1-0 up, we gave Rotherham too much time on the ball.”
Paul Warne was unhappy at Gomes criticising his Rotherham side’s “direct” style.
“That’s a bit harsh, it does my nut in,” he said. “I’m getting tired reading about ‘long ball’ and all that.
“If we get a chance to throw the ball into the box, we’ll do it. I don’t see what is wrong with that.”
In contrast, Warne was complimentary of Reading’s style. He said: “Reading are an excellent team. They had the ball a lot more than we did.
“We tried to high press them but they got out and scored the goal a little bit against the run of play.
“I asked our lads at half-time to have a bit more cutting edge about their play.
“And I thought that we were the better team in the second half.”
It was Rotherham who made the brighter opening, with Jon Taylor having a well-struck 20-yard shot deflected over the crossbar.
Reading responded quickly through Yakou Meite but, after he had cut in from the right, he sent an ambitious attempt high and wide.
Rotherham continued to press and Anthony Forde should have done better when faced with the Reading defence in disarray, but he missed his shot completely.
Reading went ahead in the 31st minute. Garath McCleary escaped along the left flank and crossed cleverly from close to the byline. Ejaria, on loan from Liverpool, arrived at the perfect moment and guided the ball first-time past Rotherham goalkeeper Marek Rodak.
Reading had further chances to increase their lead before the break but Ejaria, Nelson Oliveira and Swift were all off target.
Rotherham made a positive start to the second half, with Richie Towell seeing his fierce shot blocked. Michael Smith also made a good run into the home area only to be crowded out at the vital moment. Reading were more than content to hold on to their slender advantage and ventured forward only rarely.
Ejaria almost grabbed a second goal but, after a mazy run from deep, he shot wide.
Rotherham grabbed the equaliser in the 79th minute when Ajayi latched on to Clark Robertson’s nod-down from a Will Vaulks cross.