Wolves are running, leading sorry Royals to another loss

Wolverhampton Wanderers 3 Reading 0

“I AM fed up with losing.”

That was the verdict of Reading boss Jaap Stam after his side slumped to a heavy defeat at league leaders Wolves on Tuesday night, leaving them winless in eight matches.

Royals have also only won once in their previous 17 league fixtures since November and failed to muster a shot on target at Molineux.

Matt Doherty broke the deadlock five minutes before half-time and scored again after Benik Afobe had made it 2-0 just before the hour mark.

Defeat leaves Reading 19th in the Championship, six points clear of the bottom three but still with three of the top four sides to play away from home.

“You always want to win and I am fed up with losing,” admitted Stam.

“The players are fed up with losing too, but we were outplayed by Wolves.

“We weren’t good enough. “We have seen all season that they are a very good side and it’s no surprise to see them at the top of the league.

“But we came here looking to get something out of the game.

“Everybody knew that if they got an opportunity in front of goal they would take it and going forward we couldn’t bring enough.”

Stam made two changes from the team which drew with Leeds United, bringing Dave Edwards in to face his former club while Tyler Blackett also earned a rare start.

Liam Kelly missed out with an ankle injury while Leandro Bacuna dropped to the bench, where he was joined by youngsters Tom Holmes, Sam Smith, Andy Rinomhota and Danny Loader as well as the fit again Yann Kermorgant.

Wolves have wobbled in recent weeks with just one win in five matches and they were frustrated again for much of the first half by a resolute defence and one stand-out Anssi Jaakkola stop.

But the keeper was caught out just before the break, misreading the flight of a cross which eventually allowed Doherty to head into an unguarded net.

Afobe, who had a brief loan spell at Reading in 2012, doubled the tally on 58 minutes as Wolves profited from a mix-up between Blackett and Jaakkola.

And the game was well and truly tied up when Doherty, who also scored in the reverse fixture back in November, curled in from the edge of the box.

Reading had Jaakkola to thank for the score-line not becoming even more embarrassing with a string of late saves, but they proved to be mere consolation.

Attention now turns to Saturday’s trip to Norwich City, where Reading lost 7-1 last season.

READING: Jaakkola, Gunter, Ilori, Moore, Blackett, Edwards, Evans (Bacuna 63), Clement, Aluko, Barrow, Bodvarsson (Smith 83).

Subs not used: Mannone, Holmes, Rinomhota, Loader, Kermorgant. Yellow cards: Gunter (51), Evans (54)

WOLVES: Ruddy, Bennett, Coady, Boly, Doherty, Saiss (N’Diaye 78), Neves, Douglas, Costa, Jota (Cavaleiro 25), Afobe (Bonatini 72).

Subs not used: Norris, Batth, GibbsWhite, Roderick.

Goals: Doherty x2 (40,73), Afobe (58) Yellow card: Bennett (85)

Referee: Robert Jones

Attendance: 27,341