Yesterday's game summed up the season for the Royals - go behind, stage a comeback and then concede in the last minute of the game. Brian McDermott was disappointed with our 2-1 defeat against Preston, but did praise 17-year-old Josh Barrett after he made his first appearance at the Madejski Stadium.
McDermott told the official club website:
"We're desperately disappointed. It was poor. We lacked energy in the first half and we had to change the system at half-time, because we didn't start well. We didn't play well today, that's for sure.
"It was a great goal from Quinny, we got back to 1-1 and you think we'll maybe go on to win the game and then, right at the end, we give another goal away.
"And it sums up how it's been here for a couple of years now, in the last two seasons. It's very frustrating. But it's about the summer now. We need to recruit well, do a lot of work in the summer and that s going to be very, very important.
On Josh Barrett
"Josh made a difference after coming on at half-time, the shape was different, and he did a really good job. He was brave, got on the ball, created stuff. He made things happen.
"Sometimes you put youngsters in and they take to it straight away, sometimes it takes a little bit longer. But Josh has taken to it straight away today and I thought he was going to come up with a goal.
"He's 17 years of age, but he acquitted himself well - he's going to be a good talent. He's been training with us and he wants to work hard, he was a shining light."
The last word from McDermott of the final game of the season at the Madejski was for the fans - who again like every year have been fantastic, he said:
"We walked around the pitch at Wigan in 2005 when they had just won the league and we'd missed out on the play-offs - that was tough. But the following season we won the league. And it didn't feel great today.
"But the support was terrific today - you never want to walk around a pitch at the end of a season after a late goal like that, but sometimes that pain will bring you through to next season and help to get you where you want to be."