Jaap Stam “We got the opportunities but we couldn’t score, which was a pity”
Reading only managed one effort on target but Jaap Stam still felt his team could/should have won.
Kermorgant had a shot saved by Karl Darlow whilst Newcastle had five efforts on target.
Both sides struck the woodwork, with Ritchie hitting the post in the first-half and Gouffran somehow failing to get the touch when it rebounded out. Whilst McCleary struck the bar in the closing seconds of the game.
After getting caught out on the break a few times, Jaap Stam said he’d warned his players at half-time about this.
Maybe heeding what had happened to both Huddersfield and Brighton in the past week, the Reading boss perhaps happy to settle for a draw in the circumstances.
This and results elsewhere keeps Newcastle nine points clear of third and reading seven above seventh.
The two sides hot favourites for automatic promotion and the play-offs respectively.
Jaap Stam:
“If you play big games against sides like Newcastle at this stage of the season, it’s important not to lose games.
“It is also important to create a few chances and perhaps the only thing we can say that is disappointing, is we didn’t score one.
“I think sometimes we were perhaps too eager to go forward in the first half and we were warned a couple of times with the chances Newcastle had on the break.
“But, we spoke about it at the half-time, and in the second half we did what we needed to, to be patient and not let them run.
“We got the opportunities but we couldn’t score, which was a pity.
“But, playing against a team like Newcastle, it’s not a shame when you come away with points.”
Stats from BBC Sport:
Reading 0 Newcastle 0
Possession was Reading 70% Newcastle 30%
Total shots were Reading 8 Newcastle 13
Shots on target were Reading 1 Newcastle 5
Corners were Reading 7 Newcastle 5
Referee: Andy Davies
Newcastle United:
Darlow, Gamez, Lascelles, Clark, Dummett, Ritchie, Colback (Diame 88), Shelvey, Gouffran (Atsu 69), Perez, Murphy (Gayle 75)
Unused Subs
Elliot, Hanley, Mbemba, Anita
Crowd: 23,121 (3,704 Newcastle)
(To read the instant fan/writer reaction to this Reading match go HERE)
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