Gomes: ‘We looked too scared to play’
Derby County 2 Reading 1
JOSE GOMES says his side looked scared to play as they lost at Pride Park.
Seeking back-to-back victories for the first time in over a year following the win over Nottingham Forest last time out, Reading started poorly and trailed 2-0 at half-time through Duane Holmes and Harry Wilson strikes.
The Royals improved after the restart, pulling a goal back through substitute Sone Aluko (pictured), but could not find an equaliser as they stay 22nd in the Championship table, two points from safety.
“We must start playing like we train, not being afraid of our opponent,” said manager Gomes.
“We started playing the game out of our process with long balls. We train daily starting with our goalkeeper and trying to create goal situations from the back, but the players showed they were a bit scared at the beginning of the game.
“We gave the first 15-20 minutes to Derby and they took advantage.
“In the second half, it was a completely different game. We started playing like we do during the week and like we did in previous matches.
“We controlled the game.
“We finished the game with 64% possession. Only Aston Villa and Leeds have won at this stadium this season, so Derby are a really strong team.
“I think we deserved at least one point for the second half performance.”
Gomes made just one change to the side which defeated Forest with Lewis Baker making his full debut as Omar Richards dropped to the bench. That meant a reshuffle with Baker taking his preferred central midfield berth while Andy Rinomhota moved to right-back.
But the changes did not have the desired effect as Derby dominated the early exchanges and led inside three minutes when Holmes beat the offside trap and swept in past Anssi Jaakkola.
A weak back-pass from Tiago
Ilori moments later allowed Jack Marriott in, but Jaakkola reacted to make the stop.
Reading slowly began to grow into the contest and should have equalised when Mo Barrow crossed from the right to John Swift, but he shanked his finish wide of the post.
Rams responded to go 2-0 up before half-time when talisman Wilson let fly and saw his shot deflect off of Rinomhota and wrongfoot Jaakkola.
Aluko was introduced at half- time and immediately got involved in the game, picking out Barrow to fire over the crossbar.
And Aluko then broke through himself, latching onto Ovie Ejaria’s through ball to tuck in his first goal of the season.
Reading pushed hard for an equaliser but fell short as they slipped to a narrow defeat against Frank Lampard’s men.
“I cannot feel happy just because we did a good second half,” said Gomes.
“I must help the players to start the games with the maximum courage that they have.
“We cannot start games thinking that we cannot lose this game, we must play all the games to win.”
Reading are now in the middle of a 10-day gap before visiting fellow strugglers Bolton Wanderers on Tuesday (8pm), where new signings Nelson Oliveira and Emi Martinez could both make their debuts.
READING: Jaakkola; Rinomhota, Ilori, Moore (c), Yiadom; Bacuna, Baker (Aluko 45); Barrow (McCleary 73), Swift, Ejaria; Bodvarsson (Loader 63).
Subs not used: Walker, Gunter, Blackett, Richards.
Goal: Aluko (66)
Yellow card: Ejaria (65)
DERBY: Roos, Bogle, Keogh (c), Tomori, Malone, Wilson (Evans 90+1), Huddlestone, Mount, Waghorn, Holmes (Nugent 87), Marriott (Bennett 80). Goals: Holmes (3), Wilson (40)
Yellow cards: Malone (69), Holmes (81) Referee: Andy Woolmer
Attendance: 26,404