Royals chief salutes side

McDermott pleased with reaction after cup loss

Last updated: 10th March 2010   Subscribe to RSS Feed

Royals chief salutes side

McDermott: Pleased

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Reading boss Brian McDermott was understandably pleased with his side following their 4-1 win over Derby.

McDermott was happy with how his side bounced back from the FA Cup exit to Aston Villa at the weekend.

Goals from Shane Long, Jimmy Kebe, Ryan Bertrand and Simon Church won it for the Royals, as Derby managed just a solitary effort from Gilles Sunu - although they also had goalkeeper Saul Deeney sent off just before half-time.

Robbie Savage was forced to go in goal with Deeney having replaced the injured Stephen Bywater.

"We'd had a tough game against Aston Villa on Sunday but we came out all guns blazing and at times we were excellent," said McDermott.

"It's difficult to play against 10 men and we had a sticky spell but once we got the third it was comfortable.

"There were no special instructions to shoot at Savage, I just wanted us to keep our shape and the chances would come.

"We are edging towards safety now. We've taken 18 points from 21 and we are not far away from mid-table.

"We are dragging teams toward us and we have players now who are looking the part."

New keeper

Derby boss Nigel Clough revealed that he had already made calls to ease his

goalkeeping crisis after Deeney was dismissed.

Clough was forced to put captain Savage in goal for 50 minutes after seeing first-choice Bywater limp off injured and replacement Deeney sent-off.

But Clough is confident of having a goalkeeper in on loan for Saturday's trip

to Doncaster after setting his staff on the task at half-time.

"We have already made some calls and we will have a loan keeper in for the

weekend," he said.

"I've never lost two keepers in a night before. Stephen has been playing with a back injury and it seized up so he had to come off.

"Saul was doing well until he got sent off. I had no complaints with the penalty decision but it would have been a hell of a finish to score from where the ball had rolled to.

"I thought we'd eradicated that rule that it was a straight red card.

"But Robbie wasn't getting a kick in midfield so we thought he was the best candidate.

"Robbie's had an hour breather now as well. When you go down to 10 men and are 3-1 down you are already planning for the next game and we've only got two and a half days to prepare now."