‘It’s about being positive because the performance warrants that’

READING FC manager Paul Ince believes that his team deserved a result after their narrow defeat to Sheffield United.

The Royals lost out by a solitary goal which came from Illiman Ndiaye’s 60th minute winner which leaves them in 15th before the points deduction.

“We played well today, really well,” said Ince after the match on Tuesday night.

“It’s disappointing we didn’t get anything from the game.

“It was a great response after the poor second half against Boro last weekend.

“We’re playing a team that could go up automatically and we competed with them.

“We played well today and deserved something from the game.”

Having had a strong home record all campaign, the Royals lost out at the Select Car Leasing Stadium for just the fourth time this season.

Ince continued: “Some things just wouldn’t fall for us in the box.

“It’s about being positive because the performance warrants that. It was one minor detail that cost us the game.

“They’re disappointed in there, but I said to them that you’ve got 11 games.

“Not just at home, we should be able to perform like this away – there’s no reason why you can’t.

“That’s the level that you have to perform at, on a consistent basis.

“We saw Naby Sarr, outstanding today, we need that consistency from our players. Tom McIntyre was very, very good, Shane Long looked like he was 18 again.

“That performance shouldn’t be because Sheffield United have come to town, it should be for whoever comes to town and whoever we play away.

“That’s on them now. They’ve taken responsibility to say we can perform like that, now you have to do it for 11 games.”

Tthere was some bad news for Reading on the injury front as Ince confirmed that forward Yakou Meite, who missed out on the matchday squad, will be out for three to four weeks.

Ince said: “Yakou is injured, not sure if it is going to be three or four weeks. That’s another blow to us, because he was just finding his feet and playing well.”