JAAP Stam spoke of his relief after Reading FC guaranteed a top-six finish – but admitted his side will have to up their game in the Championship play-offs.

Yann Kermorgant’s early goal secured a 1-0 victory over Wigan Athletic and sent Latics down to League One in the process.

With Leeds unable to beat Norwich City, it means Reading will finish in the top five at least and will clinch third if they win at Burton Albion next Sunday.

But Stam was far from happy with his team’s display at Madejski Stadium today.

“It’s important we got the win,” he said. “It wasn’t the easiest of games because Wigan were fighting for their lives to stay in the league.

“We knew it would be difficult and we spoke before the game about starting well and starting aggressively going forward.

“We did that and scored the first goal but afterwards we slowed down when we should have kept on going.

“We gave Wigan too much time and space to play and they made things difficult for us.

“Wigan are a good team and throughout the season we have seen there is not a lot of difference between teams at the top and the bottom.

“It’s about consistency and in Italy you learn it’s all about results. We Dutch don’t always think like that, although I did today. But we also want to play better in the next games.”

Bracknell News:

Yann Kermorgant celebrates his winner against relegated Wigan.

Stam, though, accepted Royals must improve for the play-offs, adding: “We need to step up, we need to play better.

“We didn’t play as well as we can today. I don’t know what the reason was and I don’t want to dwell too much on it because every game you play is different.

“I have played great games in my career against very big teams like the Champions League final and they are totally different to league games, as are the play-offs.”

However, he also stressed there will be little pressure on Reading as they have already exceeded expectation this season.

“There is a lot of pressure to do well in the play-offs but, for us, it’s already a very big achievement to be up there,” declared the Dutchman.

“There is no pressure on us so we will make it very hard for the team we will be playing and a real battle. Hopefully we will have three play-off games.”

Today’s victory was marred by a sickening injury to Wigan’s Shaun MacDonald who appeared to break his leg in a challenge with George Evans.

Royals midfielder was booked for the tackle, though Stam insisted it was not malicious.

“George miss-controlled the ball, he wanted to retrieve it so he went in with the tackle, the same as MacDonald did,” said Stam.

“Unluckily for him they clashed and he hit his leg. I don’t know how the injury is but it seemed a bad one.

“I feel sorry for him because I think he’s a good player. You don’t wish for players to break their leg in a game, but George is not the sort of player who does that on purpose.

“He’s a great lad and a great professional with a very good mentality. He would never kick someone on purpose like that, it’s something that can happen in football.

“I wish Shaun all the best and hopefully he will return quickly.”