Saturday 2 January 2016 18:56, UK
Reading manager Brian McDermott praised striker Matej Vydra for his part in the goal that secured a 1-0 Sky Bet Championship victory over struggling Bristol City.
Reading manager Brian McDermott praised striker Matej Vydra for his part in the goal that secured a 1-0 Sky Bet Championship victory over struggling Bristol City.
Vydra won possession in a tackle on City's Bobby Reid and released Garath McCleary to set up Nick Blackman for the stoppage-time clincher.
McDermott said: "Matej could have scored two or three goals today. He worked his socks off, he kept putting himself on the line, which was really important. He never hid.
"And he's made an unbelievable tackle late in the game. He gave the ball away, ran after it, made that unbelievable tackle and then gave a terrific pass to Garath. In its way, that tackle has been a match-winner for us.
"I'm delighted for Matej and the whole group. It's all about belief and confidence. But the win will give us that little bit extra confidence. To get it so late, it's a big, big win."
Reading had lost six of their previous seven matches while struggling City were in poor form, too, having won only twice in 13 games.
Vydra should have opened the scoring early on but, after latching on to a superb 30-yard pass from Stephen Quinn, he drove wide of the target.
The Czech Republic striker, on loan from Watford, could have done better soon after but missed a chance at the far post from Oliver Norwood's cross.
Vydra, again in the first half, could have done better when shooting straight at goalkeeper Frank Fielding.
The visitors offered little attacking threat before the break but improved in the second period.
Elliott Bennett had an opportunity to break the deadlock but drove wide from 20 yards.
From then on, Reading encountered a stubborn City defence, with Danny Williams, McCleary and Blackman all having efforts saved or blocked.
The away side thought they had secured victory in the 90th minute, when Jonathan Kodjia chipped over home goalkeeper Ali Al Habsi, but the flag had already been raised for offside.
Just seconds later, Vydra tackled Reid and fed McCleary, who released Blackman to beat Fielding with a low shot for his 13th goal of the season.
"Was Kodjia offside?" City manager Steve Cotterill said. "I don't know the answer to that, whether it was offside or not. I just don't know.
"It was then disappointing to concede their goal. At the time, we were the team that were looking for three points. I thought that we were the team in the ascendancy.
"We played very well today. Collectively, we've got a lot of young lads who are learning the hard way at this level.
"The players are giving me everything they can possibly give me. Today was just one of those painful defeats."
