McDermott - Church red unlucky

Reading caretaker boss Brian McDermott defends Simon Church

Last updated: 19th December 2009   Subscribe to RSS Feed

McDermott - Church red unlucky

Johnson: Happy with a point

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Reading caretaker manager Brian McDermott felt Simon Church had been unlucky to be shown a second yellow card after his late equaliser against Bristol City.

Substitute Church had been booked for dissent while warming up in the first half and collected his second for racing to the Royals fans after flicking home Jimmy Kebe's last-gasp cross to secure a 1-1 draw.

"I think the momentum of the other players took Simon into the crowd and he was unlucky to get a second caution," said McDermott.

"I didn't see what happened for the first yellow card, but it was very hard on the lad to be red carded after scoring such a great goal.

"The players gave me everything today and had Simon not been sent off I would have fancied our chances of winning the game in injury time with all 11 men."

A penalty from Paul Hartley had put the Robins in front but Reading piled on the pressure in the closing stages and were rewarded when substitutes Kebe and Church combined for an equaliser.

When questioned about how long he expected to remain in charge after the sacking of Brendan Rodgers earlier in the week, McDermott said: "I'm not looking beyond this evening at the moment.

"I'm just doing the job the chairman has asked me to do and I'll do it to the best of my ability.

"I've been at the club 10 years and nothing surprises me in football anymore. I'll carry on for as long as I'm needed and see what happens."

Deserved

City boss Gary Johnson admitted the visitors' display had been worthy of a point.

"Reading deserved at least a draw," Johnson said.

"We were very poor after taking the lead and have a lot of hard work to do.

"It was deja vu for us as far as conceding a late goal is concerned. Our supporters are getting fed up with it, but we keep telling the players the same things and at the moment it isn't working.

"We gave the ball away too much and allowed Reading far too great a share of the play. We didn't create enough chances after starting reasonably well and getting the break with the early penalty.

"I thought we should have had two more spot-kicks, but if they had been given and we had scored it would have been rough justice on Reading."

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