Saturday 3 January 2015 19:55, UK
Steve Clarke was grateful to referee Philip Gibbs for forcing him to bring on matchwinner Nick Blackman as Reading won 1-0 at Huddersfield in the FA Cup third round.
Gibbs booked Jamie Mackie on the stroke of half-time and hinted that the on-loan striker would be sent off if he committed another offence.
That left Clarke was little choice but to take him off - and the man who replaced him at the break provided the only goal of the game to send Reading through.
A good combination between Danny Williams and Hal Robson-Kanu in the 69th minute left Blackman through on goal and his cool finish into the bottom corner sealed victory in a dour contest.
Clarke said: "The referee made such a dramatic scene with Mackie. He intimated that the next foul and Mackie would be off. I thought that was very harsh.
"The referee put himself under pressure from then on and I wasn't prepared to take the risk. Rather than leave the decision to the referee I took Mackie off.
"He's been out injured for a while and the plan was always to bring him off - but not that early."
The goal was the first shot on target and Clarke said: "It was a very good move. Nick is a good finisher and I had every confidence he would score.
"It was a very good away performance but not a classic game. I told the players at half-time the best way to enjoy a poor game is to win it."
Clarke, twice an FA Cup winner as player and assistant manager at Chelsea, said he wanted to progress in the competition.
"I respect the FA Cup and I have a lot of good memories. I have been involved in five finals and I know there's no point wishing for who you get in the next round. You just wait and see and get on with it. We will take who we get."
Clarke was pleased with the clean sheet and said: "This is only my fourth game in charge and we are trying to build some principles.
"The best way to do that is keep a core group of players and work hard."
Huddersfield fielded much-heralded strike duo James Vaughan and Nahki Wells but they, like the team, failed to fire.
Vaughan headed high and wide when unmarked and Wells went close with a backheel from a corner - but they had little service.
Huddersfield had midfielder Jonathan Hogg sent off in the 90th minute after a clash with Williams.
Hogg, booked in the 56th minute, saw red after trying to grab the ball off Williams - who was delaying a free-kick.
Town boss Chris Powell wanted more from his players and could not explain the poor performance.
"It was a flat game with no real quality," he said. "It's a shame because we took it seriously and didn't make wholesale changes.
"I put out an attacking side but we never got ourselves or the game going. The only shot on target was a goal.
"We were looking for some bright play and some enthusiasm but I am at a loss as to how it could be like that.
"There was an opportunity there for certain players to stake a claim in the team. It's hard to fathom."
On Vaughan and Wells, Powell added: "People wanted to see them together as both can score goals at this level.
"They need service, of course, and that's why we had wide players - but they have to be involved.
"It was a tough day for them and the whole team, and to have Jonathan Hogg sent off as well was disappointing. It was one of those days."
