Reading boss Paul Ince has claimed that referees have admitted to making crucial mistakes in two of the Royals' last three matches.

On a run of four defeats in five matches, Millwall squeezed past Reading 1-0 on Saturday with an early converted penalty.

Speaking after the match, the former England captain revealed that the club have received apologies after the club were denied a 'blatant' red card in the 5-0 defeat to Middlesbrough and not enough stoppage time was played at the end of Tuesday's 1-0 defeat to Sheffield United.

Reading Chronicle:

"I thought the ref was poor. Even three minute’s of injury time, we had so many bloody subs and fouls, it baffles me," Ince commented on Saturday's refereeing performance. "It is the same situation we had on Tuesday night where they played five minutes and going back over it they forgot to put on the [Chris] Basham one, which was three minutes and 32 seconds. I’ve spoken to them, and they’ve forgotten to put it on. How can you do that? It’s madness.

"The standard of referees has not been great, and we had one today. It has got to be better, because these are situations in the business end of the season. It’s not just for Reading Football Club, it’s for every team in the Championship- they’ve got to get things right. The one at Boro is a blatant red card and a sending off, they’ve told me he should have been sent off- 10 men changes the game. These are big decisions, and every situation seems to go against us. It’s not an easy job being a ref, I get that, but it can’t be that hard sometimes."

Reading Chronicle:

Ince received a yellow card in the match against the Lions for his protestations with the officials.