STEVE Clarke urged Reading FC fans to keep a sense of perspective following Saturday's 3-1 defeat at Nottingham Forest.

Clarke came in for stinging criticism from angry Royals fans on social media in the wake of his team's lacklustre performance at the City Ground.

Clarke tinkered with his formation, playing top scorer Nick Blackman wide on the right and bringing back Matej Vydra to play behind striker Orlando Sa.

And although Vydra gave Royals a 14th minute lead, Forest stormed back to secure all three points thanks to a Nelson Olivera brace and Chris O'Grady goal.

The loss means Royals have won only once in their last seven Championship matches and have slipped to ninth in the table.

And Clarke, who considered a move to Fulham recently after talks at Craven Cottage, took the brunt of supporters' frustrations after the final whistle as #ClarkeOut started trending on Twitter.

 

 


But the 52-year-old Scot urged them to judge the team on where they finish this season not on one solitary result.

He said: “I think you are always going to get criticised. It’s the nature of the business and we’re there to be shot at.

“I think everyone has to remember where we are and where we have been.

“It has been a decent season up until now. You can’t look at this defeat and think it’s a disastrous defeat.

“It’s a disappointing defeat, but it Nottingham Forest is a difficult place to go.

“Derby went there and lost in Forest’s last home game, so it is a difficult place.

“You always have to keep a sense of perspective in the chase for a play-off position.”

 

Reading have now picked up a mere six points from the last 21 on offer and Clarke accepted his options in terms of team selection are limited, with Hal Robson-Kanu, Stephen Quinn and Aaron Tshibola long-term injuries and Garath McCleary and Anton Ferdinand also nursing knocks.

“In recent weeks we have had a few disappointing performances, so to single this out as the most disappointing is everyone's right,” added Clarke.

“It was only disappointing for me because we had the lead and gave ourselves a chance to build into the game, but we didn’t manage to do that.

“We knew it would be an open game because Forest have got quite a lot of attacking players and our options at the minute are quite limited.

“We have to be quite attacking, home or away, and I think Forest capitalised on their opportunities much more than we did.”

He continued: “I think Forest deserved to win, you have to say that.

“The disappointment for us was after a scrappy opening for both teams was that we managed to get our noses in front and couldn’t hold onto the lead.

“Not only did we concede an equaliser but from a breakaway from our corner, which is something we spoke to make sure it didn’t happen – and it did happen.

“From there it was always going to be difficult to get back in the game. We spoke at half time about keeping it tight and staying in the game as long as possible and try to twist the pressure around on Forest.

“But we gave them the cushion of a two-goal lead early in the second half, which made it a long way back.”

Reading hope to bounce back this Thursday night when they host QPR at Madejski Stadium (8pm ko).
Clarke stressed: “It’s a long season, there are many games still to go.

“We have another game at home on Thursday night and we’re going to need the supporters to get right behind us.

“We’re going to need the boys to step up to the mark, I’m going to have to step up to the mark and we are going to have to start picking up points again.”