JAAP Stam spoke of his relief after Reading FC snatched a 1-1 draw at Brentford.

Liam Kelly’s 69th-minute penalty earned Royals a point at Griffin Park after Josh Clarke had fired Bees into a 16th-minute lead.

Stam’s men were under the cosh for large periods of Saturday’s match, with Vito Mannone making a string of important saves.

But Reading, who lost the corresponding fixture 4-1 last season, almost nicked it at the death when Sone Aluko hit the crossbar.

Stam admitted: "I think it's a very good point, we've got to pleased.

"Last season we had a very difficult game there and Saturday was no different. Brentford are a good side and if you give them time to play, we knew they could make it difficult for us.

"We started very well and had two good opportunities in the first couple of minutes. If we score one of those, the whole game is totally different.

"But we didn't and they got into their rhythm and scored the first goal which we should have done better with.

"We were chasing the game all of a sudden, we had a hard time in the first half. Our choices on the ball weren't good enough and we weren't accurate enough in our passing.”

Bracknell News:

Reading manager Jaap Stam.

Jon Dadi Bodvarsson’s two early misses for Reading was punished when Clarke played a neat one-two with Neal Maupay before firing home.

Kamohelo Mokotjo and Olllie Watkins then went close as Bees pressed for a second.

But Royals improved in the second half after Stam had replaced Bodvarsson with Roy Beerens at the break.

The Dutch winger forced a super save out of Daniel Bentley shortly after coming on, but that was followed by a glaring miss by Brentford’s Forian Jozefzoon when one-on-one with Reading keeper Vito Mannone.

However, Reading levelled in the 69th minute thanks to Kelly’s clinical penalty after Rico Henry had shoved Liam Moore to the ground as Brentford defended a free-kick.

The visitors then had a second strong penalty shout turned down soon after when Moore appeared to have been fouled again.

Bees pushed for a winner late on only for Reading skipper Paul McShane to deny Maupay with a crucial tackle.

But the visitors almost snatched a last-gasp victory when Sone Aluko’s effort clipped the crossbar.

Stam added: "At half-time we spoke about what to do, pressing them higher up the pitch, being more aggressive in going forward. And I think we did much better and we got the equaliser.

"After that both teams went for the win, it was end to end. At times we defended very and Vito made some good saves.

"Yet we could have had a second penalty soon after our goal when Liam Moore was tripped in the box. Maybe it's difficult to give two penalties in a short space of time, I don't know.

"And of course right at the end, Sone hit the crossbar and we could have won it.

“Perhaps on the balance of play, it was right that it went on the top of the crossbar and over and not underneath it.

"We're happy with the point though we still need to improve."

Reading are due to host Swansea City in the Carabao Cup third round tomorrow night (8pm) before another home league clash against Hull City this Saturday (3pm ko).

Brentford: Bentley, Henry, Bjelland, Jozefzoon (Archibald 87), Maupay, Watkins, Mokotjo (McEachran 72), Egan, Woods, Sawyers (Yennaris 72), Clarke. Subs not used: Daniels, Shaibu, Barbet, Mepham.

Reading: Mannone, Gunter, Moore, McShane, Blackett (Obita 69), Edwards, Kelly (Bacuna 76), van den Berg, McCleary, Aluko, Bodvarsson (Beerens 45). Subs not used: Jaakkola, Evans, Clement, Ilori.

Attendance: 9,739.

Referee: Tony Harrington.