Scott Parker delighted to see leaders Bournemouth ‘grind out’ win at Reading

Bournemouth head coach Scott Parker expressed his delight at the ability of his league leaders to “grind out” a hard-earned 2-0 Championship victory at Reading.

It was Bournemouth’s 15th league match without defeat since the start of this season – a club record.

Although Reading dominated much of the first half, the visitors went in front two minutes before the break through top scorer Dominic Solanke.

Substitute Jamal Lowe added a second just before the hour mark and Bournemouth held on relatively comfortably to once again move five points clear at the summit following Fulham’s win earlier on.

“We knew that it was going to be a challenge here tonight,” Parker said. “Reading are a good footballing team and have plenty of experience and quality as well.

“They started the game well and we probably struggled in the early stages. We had to dig a little bit deeper.

“But then I felt that we got into our rhythm. We had a bit of control without looking at our best or our finest.

“The first goal came at a really good time for us. It was well worked and straight off the training pitch.

“In the second half, the subs coming on helped us and gave us a bit of impetus – especially Jamal getting the second goal.

“Sometimes in a season, you have to grind things out. That’s what we did and that’s what has pleased me most tonight.

“We were not at our most fluent but I see a group of men and a team that understood that we had to get the job done. And that’s what we did.

“With the substitutions, sometimes they work and sometimes they don’t.

“What I need to make sure is that when the player enters the field, he is in tip top and prime condition.

“I thought that all the subs did really well but, really, it’s all down to them and the conditions that they keep themselves in.

“For Jamal’s goal, it was a lovely finish. He used the defender to unsight their keeper and it was such a nice calm finish. I was really pleased for him.”

Reading have now lost three successive matches as they slipped to 16th in the standings.

“Early on, yes, we looked in control of the game,” Reading manager Veljko Paunovic said. “And we had opportunities, too.

“But we didn’t convert those opportunities.

“Their first goal really hurt us but we responded properly and went after them.

“Which proves again the dignity of the team and the recovery of their identity and their spirit to fight against top teams like Bournemouth.

“When you play in the first half as we played, apart from the goal that we conceded, then you must feel confident.

“Even against a top team like this, you feel confident not only in the short term but in the long term as well.

“In the second half, we had to readjust a little bit.

“The first goal opportunity was ours – through George Puscas. Unfortunately, we missed that one.

“And then out of nothing, we conceded another goal.

“I thought that we could still respond to that and that we could step up and push forward.

“But we couldn’t re-establish our flow.

“We kept the ball much better in the second half, we were getting closer. But with the fatigue kicking in, we lost our freshness and our precision.”