BRIAN McDermott refused to dress up his side's performance after a 2-1 home loss to Preston North End.

Royals' final home fixture of the season ended in a last-gasp defeat at Madejski Stadium.

McDermott's men had been booed off at half time and full time after slumping to a fifth defeat in six Championship matches.

Jermaine Beckford's 56th minute opener for Simon Grayson's visitors was cancelled out by a fine strike by Stephen Quinn four minutes from time.

But Dan Johnson hit an injury-time winner as Preston clinched their first league win at Reading since 1982.

McDermott confessed: "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, that's for sure.”

He added: “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.

“Then, right at the end, we give another goal away.

"It sums up how it's been here for a couple of season's now. It’s very frustrating.”

Reading fans stayed behind to clap the players after the final whistle on Saturday as they conducted their traditional lap of appreciation.

Even then it rained on Royals' parade after a heavy downpour made it a rushed affair.

However, McDermott paid tribute to the Reading faithful, saying: "The support was terrific. You never want to walk round 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 to where you want to be.

"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 on Saturday.”

Reading end the Championship campaign with a trip to Blackburn Rovers this Saturday (12.30pm ko).