JAAP Stam admitted late goals are costing his Reading FC side after dropping two precious points at Barnsley.

Yann Kermorgant looked to have ended a run of three straight defeats and four games without a win when he notched his first goal of the campaign in the 68th minute.

But Royals were denied at the death when Tykes defender Ethan Pinnock grabbed an equaliser a minute into time added on.

And Stam admitted it is becoming a familiar story having watched his side conceded an injury-time equaliser at home to Cardiff City a few weeks earlier after Royals had led 2-0 with seven minutes to go.

"It's happened to us a couple of times this season, teams scoring against us in extra time,” groaned Stam, with Reading 17th in the Championship table and only six points above the drop zone.

"It's simple things. Barnsley put a centre-back up front at the end so you need to mark up and defend those crosses. We know that, but still it happens and they score.

"You don't want to give it away so late in the game.

"It was hard work, you expect that at Barnsley where it's not always easy to play the football you want to. Both teams need the points, you know it's going to be a fight.”

In a game of few clear-cut chances, Kermorgant headed Royals in front from a superb Tyler Blackett cross midway through the second period.

But Stam’s men failed to close the game out and Pinnock levelled in injury-time when he headed home from a Lloyd Isgrove cross, ending Barnsley’s run of three home matches at Oakwell without scoring.

Stam added: "We could have played a little bit more in the first half, used the space they gave us to play out from the back.

"In the second half we kept on pushing, had a couple of shots and then we scored that goal.

"It was a good attack, a great cross from Tyler and a good finish from a striker who has come back from a big injury after being out for a long time. So scoring that goal, for Yann, will be a big relief.

"If we were a bit more careful and accurate with the passing, maybe we could have scored that second goal. But at the end of the game it's 1-1 and basically, not enough.”

Reading’s late heartache was all their own doing as moments before Barnsley equalised they had won a corner of their own.

But instead of keeping possession, substitute Sone Aluko tried a speculative shot from which the Tykes launched an attack.

"When you are 1-0 up with a few minutes left, you know they are going to bring an extra striker on or push a defender up there to make it difficult for us at crosses,” stated Stam.

“It's a case of working our who is going to pick up who, defending from these crosses when they come in.

“You need to think quick, communicate quick, be aware of your surroundings and see how many players are in the box, and decide who is going to pick who up.

"Sometimes it doesn't go how you want it to go. It's not only us who have that problem though.

“When you concede a late goal like that it’s frustrating, it's not a good feeling.

"At 1-0 up, we needed to defend, to work hard to keep the three points. And we couldn’t do that."

Reading will be looking for their first victory in five when they host rock-bottom Birmingham City at Madejski Stadium tomorrow night (Tuesday, 8pm ko).

Steve Cotterill’s Blues picked up their first win in eight games on Saturday by beating Leeds United 1-0 at home.