Paul Warne admits Derby rode their luck in Reading victory

Posted Wednesday, March 13, 2024 by PA

Derby head coach Paul Warne admitted his team might have got lucky after they beat 10-man Reading 2-1 at Pride Park.

Dwight Gayle scored for the third game running, although there was an offside question mark hanging over his strike which put the Rams ahead.

Gayle pounced in the 53rd minute when he fired home from Joe Ward’s free-kick, only for Sam Smith to head in Andy Yiadom’s cross to equalise three minutes later.

But Yiadom was shown a second yellow in the 59th minute for a foul on Conor Hourihane, who restored Derby’s lead from the penalty spot.

Warne said: “I thought first half we were really good, we played well and generally we controlled the game.

“We started the second half OK and got a goal that does look a bit dubious if I’m honest. I’m not going to say it was six yards onside, it looked on the edge of being close, so we rode our luck there, although I don’t think we’ve had much luck at Pride Park this year.

“But to concede straight after, we missed a couple of opportunities in the middle of the park to tackle and don’t stop the cross.

“Our intention was to take Sonny (Bradley) off early, he didn’t feel well before the game and was sick when he came off, so I’ll forgive him for not winning his header.

“It was nice we won a penalty with a ball in behind. The captain took it, I won’t lie I was a little bit nervous. When I took him off he said ‘did you have any doubts’ and I said ‘I’ve got to be honest I had a little bit of doubt!''”

Reading manager Ruben Selles said: “I look at the replay and I make my own opinion. When I say we will fight against everything and everyone, we need to play harder, we are going to do it as this team has been doing, fighting against absolutely everything that has been thrown against us.

“Today is another example of how competitive we can be and more than that I don’t know what to say.

“I think the decisions are clear, I don’t even need to say, the pictures talk by themselves. I think Derby is a really good team. We were competitive but I think the decisions were not on our side.”