Published: Saturday, 23rd January, 2010 5:00pm

Cup heroics just the job for McDermott

by Anthony Smith

Comments (0) | Print | Email

BRAIN McDermott went a step closer to becoming Reading's full-time manager thanks to their FA Cup fourth round victory over Premier League Burnley.

Gylfi Sigurdsson's 87th minute strike secured a deserved 1-0 home win as Royals claimed their second top-flight scalp in this year's competition following that historic night at Anfield when they dumped out Liverpool in the third round replay.

And beating the Clarets - and exacting some degree of revenge for last season's play-off semi-final defeat - will do the caretaker boss's chances no harm at all, with chairman Sir John Madejski rumoured to be close to making an announcement.

"I have said all along that I want the job and that I'm the right guy for it at this moment in time," declared a delighted McDermott.

"We will see what happens when the chairman comes back next week. He is away until Wednesday but he'll be delighted.

"He texted me before the game and he'll be really, really pleased."

The FA Cup is proving to be a pleasant - and lucrative - distraction for Reading who are in the hat for Sunday's fifth round draw but remain in the Championship relegation zone, with a tough trip ahead to Sheffield United on Tuesday night.

But If McDermott's can take their cup form into the league they will surely pull away from danger.

He argued: "The word 'distraction' is used a lot in relation to the FA Cup - and I understand why.

"But it's one of the greatest cup competitions in the world in my eyes, it's fabulous and long may our run continue.

"Now we move on to Sheffield United - a tough game away from home, and we have to go there and win."

Reading dominated the majority of the match and should have had a clear penalty when Joey Gudjonsson tripped Jobi McAnuff in the 70th minute, only for referee Andy D'Urso to wave play on to the home team's astonishment.

Then a late fightback from Burnley saw Royals keeper Adam Federici make two stunning saves to deny Martin Paterson and David Edgar to keep them in the tie.

But a victory for Burnley would have been extremely harsh on McDermott's men who continued to push until the very end.

And their reward came just three minutes from time when loan signing Andy Griffin picked out Sigurdsson who coolly slotted past Brian Jensen for his ninth goal of an increasingly impressive season.

And McDermott hailed the 20-year-old Iceland midfielder, whose penalty at Anfield took the replay to extra time for Shane Long to score the winner.

"Gylfi had a couple of other chances before he scored, but his finish for the goal was from the top drawer," he stated. "That is what he has in his locker.

"We were waiting for him to grow while he was in the Academy. He came over here when he was about 13.

"He is getting bigger and has a real aura around him, especially since he scored that goal against Liverpool, but he is a real down-to-earth lad."

And he added: "Just before the goal Adam had to make an excellent save. He's pulled one out out of the top corner and pushed one away at the bottom corner.

"He was excellent but so were the whole team. I'm absolutely delighted.

It was a fabulous performance today. We were strong and had a lot of energy throughout the team.

"I definitely thought we were good value for the win.

"I've been involved for six or seven games now and barring the first half display at Forest and the trip to Plymouth, we've had some real performances in those games.

"I think we're really coming together now - and that's really important. If you keep doing the right things you'll win football matches and you saw that today."

Madejski was due to watch the game live on the internet from his holiday villa. But there were problems with the feed on the FA website.

And McDermott quipped: "He will have watched the game on the website, but if it crashed I will have to give him a ring."

Reading will be ball number two when the fifth round draw takes place live on ITV1 at 6pm tomorrow (Sunday).

Fifth round ties take place on the weekend of Saturday, February 13 so Royals have postponed their home league game against Derby County.

Reading (4-4-2): Federici - Griffin, Ingimarsson, Mills, Bertrand - McAnuff, Gunnarsson (Kebe 75), Karacan, Sigurdsson - Rasiak (Thorvaldsson 84), Church (Long 64). Subs not used: Hamer, Cisse, Pearce, Howard. Booked: Mills 29, Ingimarsson 70.

Burnley (4-1-3-2): Jensen - Mears, Duff, Edgar, McCann - Alexander - McDonald, Gudjonsson (Blake 85), Elliott - Eagles, Thompson (Paterson 46). Subs not used: Carlise, Rodriguez, Guerrero, Penny, Easton. Booked: McCann 38, Eagles 40.

Referee: Andy D'Urso (Essex).

Attendance: 12,910 (Burnley 1,070).