Swift puts on the style to lift the Royals
Reading 3 Nottingham Forest 1
JAAP STAM is eyeing consistency after Reading picked up a much-needed victory over Nottingham Forest on Tuesday evening.
Pressure had been growing on boss Stam as the Royals came into the game on the back of one win in nine, but they produced a fine performance to see off Forest thanks to an inspirational John Swift brace and Jordan Smith own goal.
Vito Mannone was called into numerous brilliant saves and Ben Osborn pulled one back late on for the visitors, but it was an evening to savour for Stam and Reading.
“We’ve played well in the majority of the games,” said Stam.
“Quite a few times you don’t get the results you want because of certain errors that we make ourselves.
“A lot of people think you’re not playing well, but that’s not the case.
“But against Forest we did well, worked very hard again and scored the goals.
“That’s a compliment to the team that they still have the confidence in what we are doing and what we need to do to win games.
“With us the confidence was always there and of course we’re very happy with the result.”
He added: “It always looks like you’re winning well when you score many goals.
“But I need to be honest, the football against Middlesbrough was even better than against Forest, but we didn’t win.
“If you win then people think you are playing better football, which is not the case in my opinion.”
Swift was pulling the strings from the off and had a shot blocked in just the third minute while Chris Gunter was denied by Jordan Smith in the Forest goal.
And Reading got their reward for a bright start in the 13th minute. Mo Barrow played the ball out to the impressive Leandro Bacuna on the left and the full-back brilliantly drove forwards from the halfway line, bursting past two men before cutting it back to Swift in the area to guide into the bottom corner.
Royals soon had the ball in the net again when the lively Barrow rolled the ball across the face of goal towards Sam Smith in the centre, but defender Joe Worrall inadvertently turned into his own net.
However, the offside flag was raised against Barrow before he put in the low cross.
And Reading should have been 2-0 to the good by half-time as Bacuna’s brilliant cross was met by an unmarked Smith at the back post, but the young forward somehow got his header all wrong and guided the ball off target.
Reading were dropping in too deep for Stam’s liking at times in the second half, but they proved lethal on the counter attack.
Forest were given a warning when Clement broke and fed Barrow, but the winger’s shot was blocked.
And four minutes later it was 2-0 after some more brilliance by Swift. The playmaker spread the play out to Barrow with the outside of his foot, allowing the Gambian to use his pace.
The winger superbly clipped the ball to the back post where Swift had burst forward and continued his run and he slid in to double the advantage.
But back came Forest, twice going close through a Dowell half volley and Tyler Walker header but Mannone was equal to both with two wonderful reflex saves.
And the game was as good as won on 78 minutes. Aluko, who came into the game with a game since April, twisted and turned before unleashing a left-footed shot which goalkeeper Jordan Smith bundled into his own net.
Forest were still creating chances and will leave wondering how they failed to find the net sooner with Walker’s goalbound header again stopped by an inspired Mannone. They did grab a late consolation with five minutes to play when Osborn rifled a low effort into the bottom corner, but it was too little, too late.
Reading remain 20th in the Championship, five points clear of the relegation zone and eight points off the play-off spots with a game in hand.
They go to Derby County on Saturday before the international break.
“It’s not easy for us,” said Stam. “We need to work very hard to get the results.
“We’re going to go for it against Derby and hopefully with a win behind us we go over there with a better feeling and with confidence.
“We’re not thinking about the top six at all.
“We had a good win on Tuesday, very happy with that, but for us now it’s about trying to be consistent and try to get results each game.”
READING: Mannone; Bacuna, McShane (c), Moore, Gunter; van den Berg (Clement 45), Edwards, Swift; Aluko, Barrow, S. Smith (Kermorgant 60).
Subs not used: Jaakkola, Blackett, Richards, Beerens, Popa.
Goals: Swift x2 (13,70), J. Smith (OG) (78)
NOTTINGHAM FOREST: J. Smith; Darikwa, Worrall, Mancienne (c), Lichaj; Bridcutt, Vaughan (Bouchalakis 74); McKay (Carayol 63), Dowell, Osborn; Cummings (Walker 68). Subs not used: Henderson, Mills, Brereton, Clough.
Goal: Osborn (86)
Yellow card: Lichaj (9)
Referee: Paul Tierney
Attendance: 14,868 (inc. 1,282 away)