Paul Ince and Reading were hit with a double injury woe surrounding their 2-0 defeat to Watford, with both Tom McIntyre and Joe Lumley missing for up to a month.
Goals either side of half-time made it three defeats from four for the Royals, who slip into the bottom half of the table.
On the back off three games in six days, Ince made five changes from the side that lost 2-1 to Preston on Friday- although one was enforced.
Academy graduate McIntyre will miss a month after pulling his calf in training.
Meanwhile, goalkeeper Lumley will miss up to four weeks after damaging ankle ligaments in the defeat to the Hornets, being replaced on the half hour mark by Australian Dean Bouzanis.
Speaking after the game, Ince said: "He pulled his calf yesterday [Tom McIntyre] doing set pieces. Went to sprint near post and pulled it, four or five weeks. I’m drained myself; I don’t know about these players. Every time you turn a corner someone is getting injured. I’m not sure if I ran over a cat or something. As much as everyone is moaning about the World Cup in November, I’m actually over the moon.
"We lost Tom McIntyre yesterday and now we’ve lost our goalkeeper. We will see where we are in March. We’ve got to be positive; we can’t be half empty. We know where we are, we have an embargo, our squad is depleted, so you’re going to get that.
"Come December 10 you’re going to have Naby back, Liam Moore back, Joe will be back, so we will have a stronger, more experienced squad."
Reading travel to Hull City on Saturday before a four week break, during which the club will travel to Tenerife for warm-weather training.
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