PAUL Clement admitted his Reading FC players made too many basic mistakes in tonight’s Carabao Cup second-round defeat to Watford.

Goals from Isaac Success and Domingos Quina in each half secured Hornets’ comfortable passage into the third round.

Yakou Meite, Marc McNulty and Liam Kelly all wasted decent chances for the hosts, but Watford had the edge for most of the contest and deserved to go through.

And Clement suggested too many of his players were not at the races.

“Watford deserved the victory, they played better than us,” he said. “But I’m disappointed with my team because we’re better than that.

“I was disappointed the game wasn’t tighter and we weren't in it for longer. We make a lot of mistakes on the night, albeit against higher-level opposition.

“We made a lot of technical errors where I expect players to do the basic things better like passing and control, that let us down.

“We had the ball in a comfortable position for their first goal which gave them the momentum. The second goal was a fantastic strike.”

Reading Chronicle:

Reading's Leandro Bacuna chases Domingos Quina who scored a stunning second for Watford.

He added: “In lots of cases they were unforced errors where players should do better, they were mistakes.

“I’m not so much angry just frustrated because I know individual players can do better.

“Maybe five or six players could have done better. When you have that many players not on form against a team from a higher division then it’s going to be difficult.”

Clement made eight changes to the side which started at Aston Villa on Saturday, while Watford boss Javi Gracia made the full 11.

And Royals’ boss admitted few of his team put themselves in the frame to start against Sheffield Wednesday in the league at home this Saturday (3pm).

“We have to brush this aside quickly because we have a really important game on Saturday,” he stressed.

“I would have liked us to have played better tonight because I think we’re capable of more.

“In some cases some players will make it difficult for me to make a choice for Saturday. In other circumstances it’s easy because they have not.”

Reading Chronicle:

Marc McNulty blazes an effort over the Watford bar.

Finally, Clement confirmed Reading have been trying to sign a player before the loan window closes this Friday.

Royals are being linked with Derby County striker, Cameron Jerome, and Clement stated: “Potentially we could do something and one, two or three could go out.

“But with each hour that goes by it looks more and more difficult. We’ll see.”