Clement rues missed opportunity as Royals fudge ‘tough’ battle
PAUL CLEMENT says the draw against fellow strugglers Sunderland was a “missed opportunity” for his Reading side to pull clear of danger.
The Royals remain in the relegation mix, five points above the bottom three with only three games to play, but it could have been a lot more comfortable had they seen off the Black Cats.
Reading rode their luck at times but led 1-0 at half-time through a Liam Kelly penalty, only for the side who now sit at the foot of the Championship table to turn the game around with goals from Paddy McNair and Lee Cattermole.
Substitutute Yann Kermorgant rescued a point with a brilliant header, sparking an end-to-end final 10 minutes in which both sides will feel they could have taken all three points with Mo Barrow missing the most glaring opportunity at the death.
And Clement, who billed this as the biggest game of the season pre-match, admitted he was not satisfied with the display.
“It was important not to lose the game,” said the Royals boss.
“With the way other results went, it ends up being a good point but we’re obviously disappointed that we didn’t get all three.
“I think it’s a missed opportunity. “I don’t think we played very well. I think the fighting spirit was there but we looked a little bit lethargic.
“Although we did find a little bit of energy, I think that was more from the adrenaline of the occasion at the end.”
He added: “The players, like myself, feel this was a bit of a missed opportunity in terms of taking all the points considering the last two home games we’d taken all the points.
“But they’re motivated and focussed.
“They know what’s required and they know that this could go all the way to the death.”
Clement made just one change to the side which lost 1-0 at Fulham with John Swift replacing the suspended Leandro Bacuna while Andy Rinomhota was preferred to George Evans on the bench and Tyler Blackett returned to the squad.
After a largely forgettable 20 minutes, Reading got their noses in front.
Sone Aluko’s swivel and shot was fumbled by goalkeeper Lee Camp, who in his haste to retrieve possession tripped the oncoming Jon Dadi Bodvarsson.
Referee Stephen Martin duly pointed to the penalty spot and up stepped Kelly to slam into the bottom corner.
But Sunderland almost levelled instantly with Ashley Fletcher hitting the post before Callum McManaman’s effort on the rebound was brilliantly headed off the line by Liam Moore.
And the visitors continued to press before the break, somehow not levelling as Vito Mannone twice denied Aiden McGeady in quick succession while McManaman’s appeals for a penalty were waved away.
Within minutes of the restart, the persistence paid off as McNair nipped the ball off of Dave Edwards before unleashing a stunning 30-yard effort which left Mannone rooted to the spot.
Cattermole headed over from a good position soon after while at the other end Jon Dadi Bodvarsson twice wasted possession in the attacking third.
Midway through the second period, Chris Coleman’s men completed the comeback as Cattermole found space to head in McGeady’s free-kick for his first goal since August 2014.
Clement threw on an extra striker in Kermorgant and it quickly paid off. Just after Tiago Ilori’s vital block at one end, Reading broke with Chris Gunter’s deep cross powerfully headed in by the substitute.
Kermorgant headed another Gunter cross wide as the game entered its final five minutes before wasting another good chance, clipping the ball straight into the arms of Camp.
The Frenchman continued to try his luck, but Camp came out on top again with a flying save to thwart his effort from the edge of the box while the resulting corner led to Barrow somehow missing a free header at the back post.
Sunderland were not without threat as Joel Asoro cut in from the right to test Mannone in stoppage time as the game ended level.
“It was a tough game,” said Kermorgant.
“We knew Sunderland would give everything because it was their last chance to stay in the Championship.
“In the first half we could’ve been 5-0 down. I think we were lucky to be 1-0 up.
“But after we went 2-1 down it was a different game and I think we did much better in the second half.
“We equalised at the end and I think it’s a massive point.”
Reading go to Sheffield Wednesday on Saturday (3pm). READING: Mannone; Gunter (c), Ilori, Moore, Richards (Blackett 65); Kelly (Kermorgant 71), Swift; Aluko, Edwards, Barrow; Bodvarsson.
Subs not used: Jaakkola, van den Berg, Rinomhota, Clement, Martin.
Goals: Kelly (pen) (20), Kermorgant (79) Yellow card: Swift (85)
SUNDERLAND: Camp; Love, Kone, Wilson, Oviedo (Clarke-Salter 48); Cattermole
(c); McManaman (Asoro 75), McNair, Honeyman (Maja 81), McGeady; Fletcher. Subs not used: Stryjek, Robson, Ejaria, LuaLua.
Goals: McNair (47), Cattermole (66)
Yellow card: Love (90+3)
Referee: Stephen Martin
Attendance: 17,348 (inc. 1,412 away)