STEVE Clarke was given the perfect birthday present by his Reading FC players after their 3-1 victory at Brentford.

A brace from Nick Blackman plus an Orando Sa goal earned Royals their first Championship win of the season.

Clarke, who was celebrating his 52nd birthday, described his team's first half display on Saturday as the best since he became manager last December.

He beamed: “Saturday was just rewards for the performances since the start of the season, they've been top class.
"First half we were absolutely outstanding. We controlled the game, scored two goals and could have had more.

“It was probably our best 45 minutes since I came to the club.
"Maybe we faded a little second half, but when I think about it logically, it was our seventh game this month whereas Brentford didn't have as many - they had a home game postponed and one less in the League Cup, so maybe it was due that it would happen. But we got the penalty and clinched the win.”

Brentford simply couldn't cope with Reading in the opening 45 minutes at Griffin Park.

The visitors forged ahead thanks to Sa's bullet header from Hal Robson-Kanu's cross in the 17th minute.

It was the Portuguese striker's first league goal for the Royals since his summer arrival from Legia Warsaw.

Blackman then doubled their lead in the 32nd minute with a stunning 25-yard free kick.

It did get a little nervy for Clarke's men in the second period when ex-Royals target Lasse Vibe pulled one back with a long-range rocket that flew past Jonathan Bond in the 67th minute.

But Royals' defence, which was superbly marshalled by Anton Ferdinand and Paul McShane, stood firm under the pressure.

And any doubts about the final result were put to bed in stoppage time when Blackman tucked home a penalty after being tripped by Bees keeper David Button.

Clarke added: "When you're 2-0 down at home, they [Brentford] can thrown caution to the wind, but I had real men on the pitch.

“Our goalkeeper was confident, we got in a lot of blocks and headers, and came out of the spell to make it 3-1 and give it a fairer reflection of the game."

Reading are now unbeaten in the league since their defeat at Birmingham City on the opening day.

And Saturday's victory at Brentford means Clarke's men head into a fortnight's international break with a spring in their step.

"People that haven't seen us play might have looked at our results, but in-house we've been really pleased with how we've played, how we've passed it and the chances we've created,” stated Clarke.“The goals came on Saturday.
"It's nice to be vindicated, and for the players as well, because they believe in what we're doing."

Brentford : Button, Colin, Bidwell, Dean, Hofmann, Kerschbaumer (Saunders, 83), Judge, Diagouraga (McCormack, 37), Vibe, Gogia (Clarke, 46), Tarkowski. Subs not used : Bonham, O’Connell, Baret, Udumaga.

Reading : Bond, Gunter, McShane, Ferdinand, Obita, Williams, Norwood (Hector, 90), Quinn, Blackman, Robson-Kanu (McCleary, 46), Sa (Tshibola, 82). Subs not used : Al-Habsi, Hurtado, Fernandez, Cox.