READING FC manager Brian McDermott admits he is desperate to reward loyal fans with some positive results before the end of the season, writes Anthony Smith.

Royals go to QPR this Saturday (3pm ko) looking to end a run of four successive Championship defeats.

The slump in form has seen McDermott's men slip to 15th in the table on 51 points, with Rangers sitting 12th with 56 points.

It has been one of the more frustrating seasons for Royals fans in recent years and only 12,949 flocked through the turnstiles on Tuesday night for the 2-1 defeat by Hull City.

That was Reading's lowest attendance for a league match for 12 years since Steve Coppell's side beat Preston 3-1 in front of a 11,857 crowd in 2004.

McDermott, who has won just six of his 22 league matches since his re-appointment in December, admitted: “We want to go to QPR and give our fans something to hang onto for the summer, which is important to us.

“There's not much in it between us and Rangers in the table. But for me you want to be in the top six or competing for the top two places, that's our goal.”

Reading have been boosted by the return to fitness of right-back Chris Gunter for the clash at Loftus Road, though Hal Robson-Kanu and Jordan Obita remain sidelined.

More than 1,500 tickets have already been snapped up by Royals fans for the short trip to West London to face Jimmy Floyd Hasselbaink's Rangers.

McDermott added: “I have watched QPR recently. They are similar to us in that they appointed a new manager around the same time.

“I know Jimmy and he'll want to put his stamp on the team before pre-season.

“He'll be trying to make sure Rangers are at the right end of the table next year.”

QPR will be without the services of former Reading loan striker Jamie Mackie for the rest of the season with a hamstring injury.

It means recent Royals transfer target, Conor Washington, is likely to lead the Rangers line.

QPR have won only two of their previous 10 home league fixtures against Reading.