Clarke: It's Another Lesson

Steve Clarke said that he was leaving the Madejski yesterday evening with a all to familiar feeling, after Reading lost 1-0 against Birmingham City.

The Royals dominated throughout, but Birmingham took all three points back to St Andrew’s with a 84^th minute winner by Clayton Donaldson.

Clarke told Sky Sports after the game, "We dominated completely, there was one team trying to win and another who came for a point. They’ve managed to steal all three, and it’s a familiar feeling. It’s something we have to learn quickly.

"We went to sleep on a set play and it’s cost us. The chances we created, possession, domination, it’s another lesson for players."

However, Clarke could take some positives out of the game, he said:

"It’s difficult to look at positives when you lose, and I don’t like to lose.

"Jack Stacey when he came on was bright, Jake Cooper was excellent and Michael Hector who has been excellent for weeks.

"Jem Karacan got 90-odd minutes for the first time, there are little positives but overall another defeat and another disappointment."

After Saturdays narrow defeat against Arsenal at Wembley, fans took part in #flagsforfeds to support the goalkeeper after he was visibly upset after his mistake over the weekend. Federici got a fantastic reception and Clarke had no worries that he would return back to normal, Clarke told the media:

"Adam was always going to have a good game.

"He’s a normally very solid, reliable, goalkeeper who made a couple of really good saves. Like I said to yourselves before the game, there were no doubts about him.

"Overall it was a good performance from the team, but no points. That’s the reality.