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Nottingham Post
Nottingham Post
Sport
Matt Lee

Embarrassed Paul Ince rages as Nottingham Forest thump Reading

Reading interim boss Paul Ince has described his side's performance as "embarrassing" after they were easily beaten 4-0 by Nottingham Forest.

The Royals have now lost three games on the bounce and find themselves being drawn into a relegation fight with just four points separating them and 22nd-placed Barnsley.

What turned out to be an incredibly difficult day for the Royals started after just 18 seconds when Keinan Davis put the hosts ahead after Djed Spence's excellent run.

And it was such a slow start that frustrated Ince, with the Reading interim boss telling BerkshireLive: "I'm disappointed, especially with the second half. It was embarrassing. You can see why the team leaks goals. They've got a soft underbelly.

"We came here with a game plan but after 18 seconds it goes out the window. You can't be conceding goals after 18 seconds. I told them about Djed Spence and we showed them enough stuff on him but before you know it we're 1-0 down.

But after that we were brilliant, they didn't have a shot in the first half and we had two wonderful chances with Morrison and Laurent who I thought was outstanding."

A flat tempo continued for Forest as the two sides entered half-time with just one goal splitting them, but that difference lasted only until the hour-mark when Davis doubled the lead with his second goal of the afternoon.

Ryan Yates added a third for the home side with a brilliant strike from 25 yards before substitute Sam Surridge netted his second goal in as many games shortly before full-time.

"I'm content at half time and we were in it," Ince added. "But then we lost the second goal and we capitulate. You can't capitulate. This is a team that has been playing lovely football over the past two years but all of a sudden we're in a dogfight.

"They need to realise that. We are in a dogfight and I've told them that in no uncertain terms. Forget all this tippy-tappy c**p... this ain't working.

"You've got to roll up your sleeves and fight and not enough of them did that. It's a mentality thing and it's hard to change players' mentality in such a short space of time.

"I'm embarrassed for the fans who came here, but they stuck with us. Our fans know the situation and the lads need their support.

"I'm not having that second half one little bit."

How high will Nottingham Forest finish this season? Join the discussion and let us know in the comments section here...

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