Reading

Reading head coach Leam Richardson was "gutted" for their supporters after losing to rivals Oxford in the Thames Valley derby.

After a tight first half on Wednesday, Oxford scored twice after the break and condemned the Royals to a fourth league defeat of the season.

They came close on a number of occasions as Paudie O'Connor and Jacob Brown both struck the woodwork with efforts.

Oxford defender Ciaron Brown even hit his own crossbar with a clearance as he was trying to cut-out a Reading attack.

Richardson's side remain sixth in League One after 14 matches having won six times with four draws.

"After the game, the first emotion is that I'm absolutely gutted for the fans - with the game that it was - to not get a positive result," he told BBC Radio Berkshire.

"It's really disappointing. I thought in the first half we were excellent out of possession, we have to be better on transition but we nullified them.

"Then in the second half we started really well and then we switched off and the game's over in five minutes from two set-plays.

"We were so weak around both goals and that's not like us, so it's very disappointing but we'll come again."

Reading return to action on Saturday against Peterborough in the first round of the FA Cup (20:00 GMT) before an EFL Trophy game against Bristol Rovers.

Reading winger Paddy Lane says the squad are all "buying into" the current project under manager Leam Richardson following a four game unbeaten run in League One.

On Saturday the Royals moved up to sixth in the table with four wins, three draws and two defeats this campaign.

Their past four matches have seen them win two and draw two, jumping up into the division's play-off places.

Lane scored in a 5-1 win away at MK Dons, rushing into the box to get onto the end of an Udoka Godwin-Malife cross and tapping the ball home.

"The staff and the gaffer have been on at the wide and forward players to get into the box and attack it with pace," he told BBC Radio Berkshire.

"I've got my goal and I'm so happy with my performances recently but there's still a lot to work on and I'm aware of that.

"We work so hard and the work we do day in and day out you can see on the weekend, to be able to put on performances like that are because we're all buying into it."

Saturday's strike was Lane's first league goal of the season having also registered an assist in his first nine appearances.

The 25-year-old joined the Royals from Portsmouth in the summer of 2025 and has gone on to make 51 appearances with eight goal contributions.

He has been Richardson's main choice on the left this season, starting in their past seven league games.

"I put my form down to enjoying myself," he added.

"When I've got a smile on my face that's the best thing and I love being at the club and around the lads.

"For me the changing room is so important to having a good team and I love to drive (the energy) in there.

"The win was nice (Saturday) but we all have so much more to come and that's a good thing."

Reading next host Chelsea's U21s on Tuesday in the EFL Trophy before a trip to Wigan on Saturday.

Image source, Shutterstock

Reading captain Lewis Wing has said that despite an encouraging start to the League One season he has been left disappointed they have not taken more points.

The Royals have won three of their first seven matches this campaign and sit ninth in the table, one point outside the play-offs and four below leaders Bradford City who they welcome to the SCL Stadium on Saturday (15:00 BST).

Leam Richardson and members of his playing squad have not been afraid to share that their goal is to achieve promotion this season.

But if the club are to become a Championship side next campaign, Wing believes that they need to improve on their results and performances so far.

"It has been a good start but we're disappointed," he told BBC Radio Berkshire.

"I think if you look at all the games we've had this season I think we could won all of them.

"At the Luton game we should never have got beat, Cambridge shouldn't have got beat and against Wycombe we shouldn't have lost.

"So if you look at it we should we should be unbeaten really but, yeah, it is a positive start but it could be a lot better."

On Saturday, Reading drew 2-2 with rivals Wycombe Wanderers, conceding a 90th-minute equaliser after Jacob Brown's 80th-minute goal.

Their two defeats this season have come by just one goal margins, losing 4-3 to Luton Town and 2-1 to Cambridge United in mid-September.

"As a team have got to learn to not sit back and we've got to push for the second goal and kill teams off," Wing added.

"The minute they get a chance in a sniff they're right back in it, there's a lot of things to work on but we're all disappointed in that."