Mistakes costly says Leeds United boss Garry Monk after Reading defeat

A 21st-minute goal from Yann Kermorgant enabled the Royals to leapfrog their rivals into fourth place in the Championship.

Monk hailed a “fantastic effort” from his players and insistsed that nobody could have begrudged them a share of the points had they scored the equaliser he thought their efforts deserved.

“We wanted to make it eight games unbeaten but we haven’t,” said Monk.

“We made too many mistakes in the first half that led to their chances. You can’t afford to do that. Maybe if you make one or two maximum, you might get away with it - but we probably made four or five.

“We talked at half-time and then put them under pressure in the second half and kept them where they felt uncomfortable.

“It was a fantastic effort from us and we fought to the end to get that equaliser. Had we got an equaliser, I don’t think anyone would have begrudged us it. But we made too many mistakes in the first half.”

The game was marred towards the end when on two separate occasions in the second half, home goalkeeper Ali Al Habsi had to remove bottles thrown on to the pitch by fans in the Leeds section behind the goal.

The first offender who threw a bottle on to the pitch, which was mentioned in referee Keith Stroud’s match report, was caught and ejected from the Madejski Stadium.

Other objects were thrown later and a Reading club spokesman confirmed the club be studying its CCTV footage and liaising with the FA.

On the bottle-throwing, Monk added: “I saw a few objects coming on but who they were thrown by and why I don’t know. Of course you don’t want to see stuff like that.

“Thankfully, no one was injured and it didn’t land near a player. That’s the most important thing.”

Monk’s opposite number, Jaap Stam, however, was adamant Stroud should have taken more direct action over the bottle throwing.

“If the opposition need to go for the win and their own fans are throwing bottles on the pitch, I think the referee needs to stop the game but not add any extra minute or whatever,” insisted Stam.

“It’s the opposition, they’re behind, they need to score goals, their own fans are giving problems and the referee should say: ‘Okay, I’m not going to add extra time, I’m going to take 30 seconds off’.”