Reading FC Manager Jaap Stam: I Don't Think A Draw Was A Fair Result

The Royals dominated during a cold afternoon at the Madejski Stadium yesterday, but could not get the better of a difficult Barnsley side.

The goalless draw takes us down to fourth, and the players after the game were complaining about the state of the pitch, but the Royals had plenty of chances to get the winner.

Jaap Stam reflected on the game and felt we deserved all three points, he told the Official Club Website:

"We were the team who needed to attack, we needed to create chances, while the opposition were sitting, dropping in deep, waiting for that moment they could get out on the break - and they were happy with the point.

"We gave everything, we tried to play on a pitch that didn't make it easy, especially when the opposition is making the spaces very tight and not allowing us to find the gaps in between.

"Yet the chances were there and we could have scored - but we didn't. On the break, you can't prevent them from posing a threat a couple of times, that's normal. But I don't think a draw was a fair result.

"At the end of the game, you can see they're happy with the draw and we're disappointed with the result. We earned a point which is a good thing. And we didn't concede a goal, that's a good thing also. But when you play your home games, you want to win."

Barnsley had their chances and made things very difficult for us and Stam felt that that was credit to the way we play, he added:

"If you look at their team and how they normally play against other opposition, they normally want to play football themselves, go forward, create chances by keeping possession themselves, play combination football.

"And today they came over here to sit, make the spaces small, make it as tight as they can and wait for a chance to counter attack.

"If you see teams change their style, defend their goal against the football we have been playing throughout the season - you could say it is a compliment they pay to the threat we pose.

"The opposition came here to get a point and they did it well. They defended well, we didn't score the goal and we didn't win.

"Did we deserve more? Maybe we had one or two chances than them and we had more possession than them. You want to win games, but it doesn't always happen. Now we look for a win on Tuesday."

With only 15 games to go, it is important to pick up as many points as possible, starting with Brentford at home on Tuesday.