Stevenage boss Steve Evans was left 'baffled' with some refereeing decisions during his side's 2-0 defeat to Reading.

The former Leeds United and Rotherham United manager looked a frustrated figure on the touchline as Kelvin Ehibhatiomhan's brace ended Boro's perfect start to the new campaign.

Speaking to the media after the game, the Scot took issue with the referee and claimed that Reading had sent an analyst into the pre-match briefing with the official Anthony Backhouse.

"I could make excuses," he started. "Like them wanting to send their analyst into the referee's room before the game. I could make excuses, but I won’t make excuses. We will learn. They have good players and a good head coach. I’ve learnt something today: That you can send your analyst into the official's room before the game to show team moves, how you move, and he’s got to get out of the way. That is new on me."

When quizzed specifically on the officiating, he added: "It is just decisions that are baffling. Far side of the stadium, 82 minutes on the clock and the ball breaks, we burst into the box and Ben Thompson heads it into the box. The guy fouls him and it was no yellow card. We don’t want to see lots of yellow cards but we’ve had have had a lot today. I think we knew what was going to happen at 13.45 but we had to wait and see it. What we then watched probably resembled what we felt at 13.45. As a staff, we knew what was going on."

Boro fell down to 10 men early on and picked up five yellow cards, while the Royals received none.