Reading boss Mark Bowen described his sides 2-0 victory over Preston North End as a ‘perfect away performance’.

First half goals from John Swift and Lucas Joao secured all three points for the Royals, who have now won three consecutive games and kept four consecutive clean sheets.

Speaking after the game, the Reading manager said he was delighted by the way his side played against Preston North End.

“It’s a really difficult place to come with their home record. It might have looked at times like we were under pressure, but I felt comfortable and the lads said they did.

“I think we have shown in the last few weeks there is more than one way to win a football match and we’ve done the perfect away performance today.”

The manager praised his side for not resting on their laurels after two consecutive victories against Derby County and QPR.

“You come out of the game against QPR at this time of year with everything that comes with it and the emotion which is different. I was worried [after the QPR game] thinking what have we got left to go to a place like this.

“Our biggest danger today was our mentality. We have had three clean sheets and two wins, it’s easy to come to this place and pat yourself on the back and think well okay, if we get beat, we’ve still had a decent Christmas.

“That’s not good enough, we have a lot of catching up to do.

“You’re looking at the energy the players have got to go again, but [keeping the team unchanged] has paid off.

“We go again, we’ve got to wipe ourselves down and recover and see where we are for Fulham. The lads are getting more and more confident in everything that we’re doing so as long as we keep climbing up the table, that’s all that matters.”

Speaking about Reading keeping a fourth clean sheet, Bowen said: “For me, as an ex-defender, you get into those last few minutes and, in my head, I’m thinking ‘come on, let’s get another clean sheet’.

“Successful sides are built on that and they deserved it for the work they put in.”