BRIAN McDermott admitted Reading FC 'should' have won at Middlesbrough on Tuesday night – but he stopped short of slating Matej Vydra for a decisive last-minute miss.

Royals could have put a major dent in Boro's title hopes when Stephen Quinn's pass sent Vydra steaming through on goal in the 90th minute.

But the Czech striker, signed on a 12-month loan from Watford last summer costing £2 million, blazed over the bar with only Boro keeper Dimi Konstantopoulos to beat.

And to rub salt into Reading's wounds, Adam Forshaw grabbed a 94th minute winner at the Riverside to send Boro top of the Championship table.

It was a bitterly disappointing end to the match after Reading's Simon Cox had notched his first goal of the season to cancel out Emilio Nsue's opener for Boro.

McDermott groaned: "It should have been three points – we had a chance at the end where we should have scored, and they punished us at the other end.

"We were 1-0 down after 10 minutes and it’s never an easy place to get a result, as it has been proven this year.

“I think we’ve given them as good a game as almost anyone this year."

McDermott, though, refused to single out Vydra for criticism, even though the 23-year-old has scored just three goals in 28 league games this season.

"I'm not here to pillar one person," he stressed. “We're sick for Matej Vydra, we're sick that it hasn't gone in the net.

"We're absolutely sick to lose the game. If we hit the target there, we win the game. It's a real disappointment that we haven't won the game."

Reading had beaten Boro 2-0 at Madejski Stadium in October, but they were unable to become only the third team to win at the Riverside this season.

"I thought the players delivered – that’s the most important thing,” added McDermott. “They gave us absolutely everything.

"To go there and put on a performance like that shows how authentic our football club is and how authentic our players, our staff and our fans are.

“I’m absolutely proud of our players and I’m absolutely gutted for them and gutted for the fans that travelled.

“We were unfortunate to come away empty-handed – football is a cruel game sometimes, as we know.

“We gave them a hell of a game and it’s a sickening blow to take. But we’ll be doing that to enough teams next season – I promise you."

Reading face another away trip this Saturday when they travel to Elland Road to take on a Leeds United side who beat Birmingham City 2-1 last night (3pm ko).

Wales international Chris Gunter is a fresh injury doubt after hobbling off in the first half at Riverside with a suspected groin strain.