Coppell hails battling Reading

Reading manager Steve Coppell was proud of his side’s resilience after they held West Ham to a 1-1 draw despite being reduced to 10 men for over an hour.

The Hammers took the lead through Nolberto Solano shortly before the interval but could not shake off a Reading side desperate to avenge their 3-0 home defeat earlier this season.

And Dave Kitson supplied the equaliser after latching onto a neat through-ball from Nicky Shorey.

Reading are still without an away win this season but Coppell said: “It was a good result in the circumstances.

“We were very conscious of the first game this year when it could easily have been 6-0. For a home team, that hurt us and today was an opportunity to try and salvage something from that game.

“We started brightly and then the sending-off knocked the chair from underneath us a bit but we were solid, we were together and the players rose to the challenge.

“It was a controlled performance. The problem when you only have 10 men is when you attack and lose your shape.

“To keep your shape together all the time you have to work hard – but it is not a marathon test by any means.

“We have a training ground routine where we play eight against any number and if you are communicating well enough you can withstand it most of the time.”

Reading were reduced to 10 men after 28 minutes when Brynjar Gunnarsson was shown a straight red card for a dangerous challenge on Hayden Mullins.

Coppell accepted referee Peter Walton had no option.

“I, like everybody else, want to see the two-footed jump tackle removed from the game. I know Bryn didn’t mean anything by it but by the strict letter of the law it was a two-footed jump tackle and he had to go,” said Coppell.

The Reading boss was full of praise for Kitson, who was left to lead the line on his own when Gunnarsson was dismissed and Kevin Doyle was forced to spend most of his time in midfield.

“He has got qualities which you just admire in a player,” said Coppell.

“He is one of those big, tall fellows who is very adept on the ground. he is good in the air, he is a physical presence. There is a lot to his game.

“Sometimes he can meander a little bit but he gives us something we don’t have. I would say I have four really good strikers but he gives us something the others can’t give.”

West Ham manager Alan Curbishley was “deeply frustrated” after his side continued their poor run of home form.

The Hammers beat Middlesbrough at the Riverside last weekend but have managed just two home victories in the league all season.

Curbishley said: “We are massively disappointed. We felt we dropped two points and while it wasn’t spectacular we had enough chances to have won the game.

“We got ourselves in good positions to have got the second goal. Reading kept going and when you see their goal again it is a shocking piece of defending from us.

“We keep setting our fans up by winning away from home and then coming back here and not doing it but it is not for the want of trying.”

The final whistle was greeted by a cacophony of boos from the West Ham supporters growing increasingly frustrated by their side’s home form.

But given West Ham’s vast injury list, which still includes the likes of Craig Bellamy, Kieron Dyer, Matthew Etherington and Lee Bowyer, Curbishley is content to be mid-table on 26 points from 18 games.

“The fans are as frustrated as me. We are all frustrated,” said Curbishley.

“You expect to win your home games. We have drawn with Bolton in the 93rd minute. We have drawn again today. We have drawn with Wigan.

“They are games you have to get the three points from and turn this place into somewhere teams don’t want to come.

“But the players are giving their all. During this season I have asked players to play out of position and they have given their lot.

“We are on 26 points and I’ll take that.”