READING FC boss Jaap Stam has told his players to seize the opportunity to seal their spot in the play-offs when they welcome Wigan Athletic tomorrow (Saturday) afternoon, writes Jack Simpson.

The Royals need a single point from their next two games to cement a place in the top-six. They currently lie in fourth place in the Championship table six points clear of Leeds in seventh.

Stam's men have been in fine form at home this season with 15 wins out of 23 at the Madejski Stadium.

Speaking to the media, the Reading manager, said: “I'm not feeling the pressure though sometimes it can be nice because it drives the players on.

"You don't get a lot of chances to finish in the top six and then get to Wembley and win promotion to the Premier League.

"Players need to do everything they can to achieve that. Then they can look in the mirror and say they did everything they could.

"What you don't want is to look back and think you could have done better because that's like kicking your head, it would be stupid.

"You need to give everything you have for the team, you need to be strong mentality. Even when you are tired you need to keep going and stick to the plan and eventually you win games.”

Reading have had little to write home about in terms of their away form however.

The Royals have lost six out of their last eight and have conceded 22 goals in that period - including seven against Norwich at the beginning of April.

Furthermore, Reading have lost six games out of seven against the teams that occupy the top seven away home and have conceded 15 goals in those games.

The Royals only win away from home against a team in the top seven was against Sheffield Wednesday back in March.

When ask about his team's home and away form, Stam replied; “ You could say in those games where we really needed to win and we did.

"I don't think about it as home and away form, I just look at our results in general.

"But I don't think we need to better away from home, we need to do better overall and win more games.

"For some reason we've lost more away from home so I have to think about whether to play in a different way or whether players feel differently away from home, which is a possibility "I'm always looking for answers but sometimes it's difficult to find them.

"If you don't do things right on the pitch and one player is in doubt, it can out others in doubt and then you get miscommunication.”

But Reading have bounced back from several poor results away from home this season and the Dutchman backed the Royals to do the same against Wigan.

Stam concluded: “The players need to redeem themselves, the way they started that game wasn't good enough and everybody knows that.

"They need to perform and show that they are good team.

"For some reason we looked surprised by Forest. They were on the front foot and we weren't. If we want a result we need to be sharp, but if the players aren't good enough then it can be difficult.”

Reading will still be without captain Paul McShane and midfielder Joey Van Den Berg for this weekend's clash.

However the duo are back training with the first team.