Jose Gomes felt his side failed to turn up for the opening 45 minutes which proved costly in the defeat to Rovers.

Rovers scored early in both halves through Adam Armstrong and Bradley Dack, to establish a two goal lead at the Madejski Stadium.

John Swift reduced the arrears just before the hour mark as Reading enjoyed their best spell in the 20 minutes after Dack’s strike.

But Gomes was disappointed that it took his side until the second half to build up any ascendancy, feeling the display in the opening 45 minutes was their undoing.

He said: “We prepared all week for this game but we made a very bad start and we gave away a lot of space to our opponent. I was very upset with the players at half-time.

“We were ready to start the second half with a new spirit, a new energy and then the worst thing that can happen, happened - we conceded a second goal.

“My players didn’t give up and we created some chances, but it wasn’t enough. We gave them the first 45 minutes and we couldn’t recover. It is hard to win a game when you give 45 minutes to your opponent.

“But now we need to trust in our players and believe that they will give us the victories we are expecting.”

Gomes led his side to safety last season, including a victory over Rovers when the two sides met in February.

With money spent on new additions in the summer, the Royals had targeted a top six push this season, but have taken just seven points from their opening eight games, with this their third successive defeat.

And Gomes says they must learn fast to turn their fortunes around.

“When we lose we must catch the responsibility with both hands,” he told his club’s website.

“Not say it’s not my responsibility, it’s because of the grass or because of the weather, or this or that.

“We can learn a lot when we lose. And this is the point. We must learn and show we have learned in the next game.

“I don’t like cheap words. It’s very easy to talk. So we have to show the things on the pitch. And I am sure we will get the results we need this season.

“I spoke with my players after the game and we are together in feeling we can turn this situation very soon.”