Royals cup exit leaves McDermott with mixed emotions

Anthony Smith • Published 7 Mar 2010 19:00 0 Comments

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So close: Royals boss Brian McDermott watched his side throw away a two goal lead in their FA Cup quarter final defeat by Aston Villa.

BRIAN McDermott could not wait to get home and watch the highlights of Reading's thrilling FA Cup quarter final defeat to Aston Villa.

Royals boss was looking forward to the re-run of his side's 4-2 loss in the sell-out clash at Madejski Stadium.

But he may want to skip a disastrous 10 minute spell early in the second-half when a three-goal blitz from Villa effectively ended Reading's best run in the competition for 83 years.

It was a heartbreaking afternoon for Royals who were dreaming of a Wembley semi-final when a Shane Long brace gave them a deserved 2-0 lead at the break.

But by the end of a pulsating tie their Wembley dreams were in tatters following a storming Villa fightback.

A John Carew hat-trick and Ashley Young strike completed the recovery and Martin O'Neill's side now face Chelsea in the semi-final.

Yet McDermott can take plenty of positives from their performance against their illustrious Premier League opponents and throughout an historic cup campaign.

"I thought we were outstanding in the first half," beamed McDermott. "Our play was excellent and I'm looking forward to watching it again on tv.

"We were good value for a 2-0 lead and we could even have had more goals.

"But we came up against a class side. If you are going to lose a game that's the way to do it, especially in the FA Cup."

McDermott knew the first few minutes in the second-half would be crucial to Reading's chances of adding Villa to their list of cup scalps along with Liverpool, Burnley and West Brom.

"We needed to keep it tight for the first 10 minutes after the break and we just couldn't do that," the 48-year-old admitted.

"It wasn't nerves. We came up against players who could be in the Champions League next year. They have pace, power and quality all over the pitch.

"But I think we gave them as tough a game as they have had all season.

"We knew at half-time that they were capable of producing something and they certainly responded to whatever Martin said."

This has been Reading's most successful FA Cup campaign since 1927 and it has undoubtedly sparked a dramatic improvement in their Championship form.

"I am gutted but proud." McDermott added. " Our players could not have given any more and we have gone out of the FA Cup in the right way.

"This season we've put Reading Football Club back on the map."

Incredibly, this was O'Neill's first ever win in March as Villa boss, though the prospect appeared unlikely after his side's fire first-half display.

It seemed the visitors were suffering a hangover from their Carling Cup final defeat by Manchester United the previous week.

And O'Neill tore into his players at half-time.

"We needed to do something because we had played so meekly in the first half and the players knew how second best we were," he revealed.

"I think after all the effort that we have put in in both cups this season, to go out as meekly as we might have done would have been very disappointing.

"They didn't need much reminding of that."

O'Neill, though, could not hide his admiration for Reading either.

"I thought they played very, very well in the first half," he argued.

"They played with no fear and deserved the second goal and I was pleased to go in just two down.

"But some of my players have performed unbelievably well this season and they came to the fore again."

Royals now face a crucial league clash at home against Derby County on Wednesday night (8pm).

McDermott's side are just one point above the relegation zone as Crystal Palace, QPR and Sheffield Wednesday all won in the Championship yesterday.

Reading (4-4-2) Federici - Griffin, Ingimarsson, Mills, Bertrand - Kebe, Howard (Gunnarsson 59), Tabb, Sigurdsson - Church (Rasiak 71), Long. Subs not used: Hamer, Matejovsky, Henry, Robson-Kanu, Pearce. Booked: Sigurdsson 59, Tabb 75.

Villa: (4-4-2) Friedel - Cuella, Collins, Dunne, Warnock - A.Young, Petrov, Milner, Downing (Sidwell 90 - Carew, Heskey. Sub not used: L.Young, Albrighton, Delfouneso, Delph, Guzan, Beye. Booked: Dunne 25, A.Young 40, Milner 82.

Referee: Mike Dean (Wirral)

Attendance: 23,175 (Villa 4,230).

** ROYALS boss Brian McDermott has been pipped to the Coca-Cola Championship Manager of the Month award for February by Leicester City's Nigel Pearson.

Reading striker Simon Church also missed out on the Player of the Month award which went to Paul Gallagher, also of Leicester. **

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