OLIVER Norwood admitted being dropped by Brian McDermott was the kick up the backside he needed, writes Anthony Smith.

Norwood lost his place in the Reading FC starting line-up recently for the 1-0 defeat at Brighton and 1-1 home draw against Cardiff City after McDermott selected Michael Hector as a holding midfielder.

But Norwood was restored for Reading’s last two games following injury to Hector, resulting in back-to-back Championship wins – 1-0 against Bolton Wanderers on Saturday and 2-1 at home to Nottingham Forest on Tuesday.

The 24-year-old Northern Ireland international cracked a 25-yard winner and set up Matej Vydra’s equaliser against Forest to claim the man-of-the-match honours as Reading came from behind to win the in the league for the first time in 17 months.

And the ex-Manchester United trainee admitted: “The gaffer decided to leave me out when I was playing a bit higher up the pitch which isn’t really my position.

“I’m not one for running forward, I like to get on the ball and dictate the play like I have in the last two games. I think that role suits me a lot better.

“But I have a great relationship with the manager. I went away with Northern Ireland and did well in two friendlies so he saw fit to put me back in the side.

“Now I’m going to make sure I don’t come back out of the team. I’ve found my role and want to make it my own.”

With Hector recovering from an ankle injury, Norwood hopes to keep his place in the team for the remaining seven games of the season, starting with Saturday’s home clash against Birmingham City (3pm ko).

Reading also travel to title-chasing Middlesbrough on Tuesday night (7.45pm ko), and Norwood added: “I’ve been playing a bit deeper in the last couple of games and I feel I’m better in that position, like I was at the start of the season.

“I thought on Tuesday night I showed that it is my position.”

Ben Osborn fired Forest in front against the run of play on Tuesday night, but Royals equalised when Norwood's long-ranger was turned in by the alert Vydra.

It was Vydra's first league goal since the 3-1 loss at Forest on November 28, and only his third in the Championship this season.

The on-loan Watford striker has come in from stick from Royals fans in recent weeks and he was dropped to the bench against Forest after missing a penalty at Bolton on Saturday.

Norwood added: “The first one was going two or three yards wide, so it was nice for Vids to get his goal.

“On Saturday we were all as disappointed as he was, but he got his goal on Tuesday.

“We're delighted for him as a group. He works ever so hard and we just want him to do well.

“He did well to get himself back onside. I was just trying to hit the target but I pulled it a little bit and he directed the ball in, so credit to him.

“I haven't scored a tap in yet. But the most important thing was to win the game. We've taken six points from six now. Before the international break we spoke about this being a 10-game mini-season.

“We've taken seven points from nine over the three games and we want to keep building on that.

“I think Tuesday was the best performance we've put on.”

Reading remain 13th in the Championship table after the victory against Forest, and Norwood accepts the season, which saw Steve Clarke sacked in December, has not gone to plan.

But he also believes Royals are heading in the right direction: “You can see we are building something here,” he declared.

“The performances have been good but when you sit there and look at the table it has been a disappointing season, there is no hiding away from that.

“We should be much higher up the league with the squad we’ve got, but something hasn’t quite gone right for us.

“So we’ve got to look to finish the season strongly now. There are 21 points still to play for and there is no reason why we can’t take all 21.”

Garath McCleary and Deniss Rakels have both recovered from injury and could return to the Reading squad to face Birmingham City, though Hal Robson-Kanu remains sidelined with a calf problem.