READING FC boss Jaap Stam hopes beating Leeds United will help silence their critics.

Royals secured their first win in six Championship matches with a 1-0 victory at Elland Road thanks to a late strike from substitute Mo Barrow.

Before that Stam’s tactics and team selection had come under scrutiny after five winless games in the league including back-to-back defeats to Millwall and Norwich.

Royals boss had started most of those games without a recognised striker and with a host of wingers in attack.

But the Dutchman recalled Icelandic forward Jon Dadi Bodvarsson on Saturday as Reading ended Leeds’ unbeaten home record this season, with Vito Mannone saving a Pablo Hernandez injury-time penalty to deliver three much-needed points.

Stam stated: “We are all delighted, not for personal reasons, but for the team.

“If you look at the team and what they've been doing in the last few weeks, it hasn't been easy because everyone wants to have results.

“When you don't get results, people start asking questions.

"But we stayed positive and confident in what we can do.

“Overall it was a very, very good performance and I'm very pleased. We deserved the win.”

One accusation made against Stam’s side was they lacked an end product despite having the majority of possession.

Reading saw less of the ball on Saturday yet were far more dangerous, with Sone Aluko, Dave Edwards, Bodvarsson and substitute Barrow all going close before latter broke the deadlock six minutes from time from a Joey van den Berg assist.

Stam added: "We were very focused, very sharp and in control for the majority of the game.

“We didn't give anything away especially in the first half. The only criticism was maybe we should have scored more goals.

"We very composed in how we set up, sometimes going forward, sometimes dropping in a little and giving them time on the ball which Leeds didn't like that very much.

"They like to have space for their striker or midfield players to run into but we analysed them very well and we allowed them a bit more time on the ball.”

Stam had made three changes to the team that lost at home to Norwich before the international break, with Tiago Ilori, Edwards and Bodvarsson replacing Tyler Blackett, Paul McShane and Liam Kelly, while Academy graduate Sam Smith returned to the bench.

With Jordan Obita ruled out for the rest of the season, Chris Gunter switched to left back and Leandro Bacuna moved to right-back, with Liam Moore and Ilori in the centre.

"I changed it at the back a bit,” explained Stam. “Leandro has played at right-back before at Aston Villa so I wanted to put him on the right side and Chris on the left, with Tiago and Liam in the middle.

“It paid off, they all did very well."

Stam also paid tribute to Barrow, who had a short spell with Leeds on loan from former club Swansea City.

"We all know the ability of Mo, his pace and his scoring ability,” he declared. “If he gets into a position to score we know he can do that.

“He didn't play a lot in his time at Leeds and every player wants to show himself against his old team."

Reading return to the north again this Saturday when they take on third-placed Sheffield United at Bramall Lane (3pm).

Leeds United: Lonergan, Ayling, Cooper (c), Jansson, Berardi (Dallas 88), O'Kane, Phillips, Roofe (Sacko 68), Hernandez, Saiz, Lasogga (Grot 77). Subs not used: Wiedweld, Pennington, Klich, Cibicki. Booked: Saiz, O'Kane, Berardi, Hernandez, Ayling.

Reading: Mannone, Bacuna, Gunter (c), Moore, Ilori, Van den Berg, Edwards, Aluko (Kelly 70), Beerens (Barrow 65), McCleary, Bodvarsson. Subs not used: Jaakkola, Blackett, Clement, Popa, Smith. Booked: Van den Berg, Barrow.

Referee: Jeremy Simpson.

Attendance: 33,900 (434 Reading).