Published: Tuesday, 19th January, 2010 4:00pm

Thorvaldsson: `Camp was like Gordon Banks.'

by Anthony Smith

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Double debuts: Gunnar Thorvaldsson and Andy Griffin (pictured) made their first appearances for Reading on Saturday after signing loan deals for the rest of the season.

GUNNAR Thorvaldsson likened Nottingham Forest keeper Lee Camp to Gordon Banks after the Reading striker was denied a dream debut.

Camp made a couple of sensational saves to keep out two Thorvaldsson headers early in the second-half of Saturday's 2-1 defeat at the City Ground.

And Forests's goalkeeping hero trumped that by saving Brian Howard's penalty in the 67th minute after ex-Royal Nicky Shorey had tripped Jimmy Kebe.

While the home side battered Royals in the first period, it was Camp's performance between the stick that helped them cling on to the victory and render Kebe's injury-time header a mere consolation.

And 27-year-old striker Thorvaldsson spoke of similarities with England's legendary World Cup winning stopper.

"It was nice to play but I would have preferred the team had won," he admitted. "Their keeper made some unbelievable saves.

"The first one could have gone in but it hit his toe. Then the second one was like Gordon Banks. I just don't know how he saved it. He also made a good penalty save but Forest are a good side.

"The first half was really bad for us. We didn't move that well and in the last third it was like we didn't want the ball, we weren't creating chances or anything.

"There were too many gaps between the strikers and midfield and also the wingers. We spoke at half-time and we said we didn't want another result like Plymouth.

"We had to start again and we made enough chances to win the game. We also had a penalty so we could have got something out of it."

And he added: "Maybe there was a little bit of tiredness from the Liverpool cup tie but we were all ready for the game. We just didn't do what the manager wanted us to do.

"We did that in the second-half and we could have won the game. There's still a lot of potential in our squad. We're a much better side than we showed in the first-half."

Thorvaldsson has signed a loan deal until the end of the season from Danish side Esbjerg, with a view to a permanent transfer in the summer.

He added: "It's a different type of football in England but in the second half I started to show what I can do.

"It's always nice to get that first game behind you and I hope to build on that.

"I can play in the FA Cup and I'd love to be involved in a big game like that."

Stoke City loan right-back Andy Griffin was also handed his Royals debut last weekend after joining on loan.

But the 30-year-old says he has no intention of extending his loan move beyond this summer.

"There are no intentions of staying longer, I'm just here until the end of the season and I hope I can help out and play my part in pushing Reading up the league," said the former Newcastle, Portsmouth and Derby defender.

"It was my first game in six or seven weeks and obviously I haven't been playing regularly so it may take two or three games to get into the swing of things."

And he also stressed: "I think you have to be encouraged by our second-half display. Their goalkeeper pulled off two great saves plus a penalty save, and we scored a goal.

"So there are a lot of positives but we still didn't pick up any points which was disappointing.

"We can't make excuses. We lost because we started the game on the back foot and conceded two goals in the first half."

Royals boss Brian McDermott was pleased with the contribution his new signings made.

"It was Andy's first game which is never easy but he was steady and I thought he was okay.

"Gunnar got better and stronger as the game went on. He had the two headers but I think it was difficult for him in the first-half because we didn't give him any service.

"But in the second half he got a few headers in, worked hard and he's quick."