Gomes: ‘We felt the taste of three points’

Bolton Wanderers 1 Reading 1

JOSE GOMES was keen to focus on the positives despite Reading conceding a late, late equaliser at fellow strugglers Bolton.

The Royals looked set to jump out of the relegation zone thanks to debutant Nelson Oliveira’s penalty, only for Jack Hobbs to head in for the hosts in stoppage time as the spoils were shared.

That goal leaves Reading 22nd in the table, one place above Bolton and now just one point behind Rotherham United.

“It was a pity that we didn’t get the three points because the way that we played, we deserved it,” said manager Gomes.

“We created enough situations to score more goals but football is like this.

“We are disappointed because we felt the taste of the three points and two points ran away.

“The way that we are playing and the confidence the players are showing in our process, it gives us big hope for the future.

“It will be a very tough track until the end of this big war. We have 17 more battles in front of us, but we are working very hard to be better and better and now the point is to keep the focus until the end of the game and score more goals.”

Gomes made wholesale changes from the defeat at Derby, five in total including debuts for Emiliano Martinez, Oliveira and Matt Miazga. They replaced Anssi Jaakkola and Jon Dadi Bodvarsson, who both dropped out the squad, while Tiago Ilori has left the club to join Sporting Lisbon.

Controlling

The two other changes saw Chris Gunter handed his first appearance since December 15 in place of Lewis Baker while Sone Aluko came in for Ovie Ejaria.

Both sides made a lively start and Reading created the first big chance when Mo Barrow picked out John Swift, who headed wide from close range with the goal gaping.

While Reading were controlling possession, Martinez was called into two stops before half-time and had to produce a stunning save to preserve the clean sheet just past the hour mark.

And that allowed the visitors to take the lead on 74 minutes. Substitute Garath

McCleary was brought down in the box by

Pawel Olkowski, allowing Portuguese striker Oliveira to step up and fire into the bottom left corner.

However, it was not quite enough for victory as Hobbs rose highest in the second minute of stoppage time to head in his first goal since 2013 to earn Phil Parkinson’s side a point.

“That Reading team is an expensively assembled squad,” said Parkinson.

“They have spent millions putting that team together over the last few years. We more than matched them and if we hadn’t got a point it would’ve been a travesty.”

Reading host Aston Villa at Madejski Stadium on Saturday (3pm).

READING: Martinez, Gunter (McCleary 61), Miazga, Moore

(c), Yiadom, Rinomhota, Bacuna, Aluko, Swift (Blackett 83), Barrow, Oliveira (Loader 90).

Subs not used: Walker, Baker, Ejaria, Harriott.

Goal: Oliveira (pen) (74)

Yellow cards: Gunter (53), Rinomhota (60), Swift (63)

BOLTON: Matthews, Olkowski (Magennis 79), Wheater, Hobbs, Taylor, Lowe, Connell (Pritchard 72), Ameobi, O’Neil, Noone (Buckley 67), Donaldson.

Subs not used: Murphy, Williams, Little, Grounds.

Goal: Hobbs (90+2)

Yellow cards: Noone (35), Taylor (58)

Referee: Scott Duncan

Attendance: 12,195 (inc. 329 away)