READING FC defender Shaun Cummings has taken a swipe at the Madejski Stadium boo boys, claiming they are having a negative effect on performances.

Royals have lost their last two home games at the Mad Stad and were booed off the pitch after their 2-1 defeat by Wigan Athletic.

Their away form also took a nosedive over the festive period after a 1-0 defeat at title-chasing Leicester City on Boxing Day followed by a comprehensive 3-0 loss at Middlesbrough on Sunday.

Now Royals face the daunting task of meeting in-form Forest on home turf tomorrow (Wednesday, 3pm ko), and full-back Cummings is pleading with Royals supporters to get right behind the team.

“We don’t want to lose at home,” declared the 24-year-old. “Playing at the Madejski should be home advantage. Our away form had been okay so we’ve just got to switch that around.

“The fans pay their money to see entertainment, but we are on the pitch to do a job. If we play the way we played against Wigan and won 3-2 the fans would be happy and would have forgotten about the first half an hour.

“Everyone has an opinion but we are on the pitch to do a job and we won’t change that for anyone in the crowd or the opposition.

“We go into a game knowing how we want to play. When it works we do well and when it doesn’t people jump on our backs and question our ability, our formation or our style of play.”

He added: “As players we try not to let it get to us but you don’t want to hear negativity from the fans. You want the crowd cheering you and lifting you. That gives us as a buzz to want to keep doing well and do the right things.

“When you hear the boos it can switch your train of thought and make you rush that pass or shot or take that extra touch.

“We’re just asking for encouragement at the end of the day. If we are not going to get that from the fans we have to get it from ourselves.”

Reading have lost four of their last five Championship games going into the New Year's Day clash, while Forest are unbeaten in six including wins over QPR and Brian McDermott's Leeds United in the past week.

Adkins’ men will at least take some confidence from the fact they triumphed 3-2 at City Ground little more than a month ago when Jordan Obita notched the winner.

But Cummings knows the backing of Royals fans will be a key factor on the day.

“We just go out and play how we play, when it works everyone is happy and when it doesn’t they are on a downer,” he explained. “People just have to see it, we know how we want to play and I can’t stress that enough.

“It has been working for us. We might not have played our best in some of the games but we are still in and around it.

“Our travelling supporters have been brilliant If we could get that same attitude at home maybe we could kick on.

“It’s not like we are not trying to win the games. People will make mistakes and give away the ball but encouragement is the main thing and it can go a long way.

"When we kick on we will be challenging for the top two spots.”

Adkins will be forced to field a makeshift defence as Kaspars Gorkss will serve a one-match ban following his red card at Boro, meaning Alex Pearce will be the only available centre-back on the day.

With Sean Morrison and Wayne Bridge also injured, it means Adkins will have to reshuffle his back four and could start with right-back Chris Gunter in a central role.

However, the versatile Chris Baird has recovered from an ankle injury and could play as a defender.

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