‘Suckerpunch’ - Bristol City boss’ view on Reading stalemate

Nigel Pearson insisted that his Bristol City team did more than enough to take all three points in their 1-1 draw against Reading at Ashton Gate.

City took the lead late in the first half through Tommy Conway, before Lucas Joao’s header ensured the Royals took a point back to Berkshire.

The hosts had two goals disallowed for offside in the West Country, and Pearson said that the Robins would’ve ran out winners on another day.

“We should have won the game, I thought we played very well,” he said. “We played well, created chances, and hit the target plenty of times. We were done with a bit of a suckerpunch defending a set play but that was always going to be their route into the game.

“I thought we defended set-plays very well all the game apart from the one in which they scored but there you are, that’s life. People have jobs to do and when they switch off, that happens.”

Reading’s approach was very much to look for their strong front pair of Andy Carroll and Yakou Meite, and use their physical advantage effectively from set pieces and throw-ins.

City’s players are more suited to running in behind and stretching the pitch, and the manager spoke on how vital it was that they played to their strengths.

“They’re bigger than us, much bigger, but we have better running stats and it was important for us to utilise that and I thought we did it really well and put them under pressure.

“On another day we probably would get what we deserve but I don’t begrudge them because they’re fighting for their lives. I thought they were very committed, playing for the manager.

“It’s Championship football, and the lesson for our lads to learn is to put sides like that to bed because on another day we would’ve won that game relatively comfortably. But whenever it’s 1-0 against sides with that amount of height, there are going to be opportunities.”

Though Pearson admitted it was two points dropped, he wasn’t dejected and spoke further on how please he was with City’s display.

“All I will say is we’ve created lots of opportunities, I think we’ve played really positively, the tempo with which we passed the ball was really good and when you play a side like Reading whose physical stats are really good.”