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"Looking back over the 90 minutes I thought we had some very good opportunities to get into the game," said Coppell. "And the timing of the way the game went was critical to the end result.
"They scored early doors and for the rest of the first half I felt we were capable of scoring at any time, but we didn’t. So we came in at half time one down but we were really up for the second half and each and every player in the dressing room felt we had a good opportunity to get back into the game. But within ten minutes of the restart we were 3-0 down and the game was lost.
"From then onwards it took on the realms of desperation. The structure of our play, which was so apparent in the first 45 minutes, disappeared to a great extent and we didn’t look as if we were going to break them down.
"We’re a little bit one- dimensional. We’ve got one way of playing which, when it works, is really good. It’s pleasing on the eye and effective, and when our scorers are scoring it’s also potent. But sometimes you need the alternative of going a different route, and we don’t have many options in an attacking sense."
Coppell also commented on the goals Reading conceded. "That is when players depend on their team mates around them to cover up for errors and we certainly weren’t effective in doing that. Three errors cost us big time."
Stan was both pleased and I’m sure relieved that the winless run had come to an end. "It’s three points and a clean sheet and that is smashing for us," he said after the game.
"I thought Reading shaded the first half and were perhaps the better side but we sorted a few things out at half time and scored two early goals. And goals change games.
"It was a big win for us tonight. We are pleased too with the clean sheet because we know that we are always capable of creating chances."
Stan also tried to clear up just who had scored the goals but in the end left it to the players. "The first was definitely Robbie’s goal, nobody touched it. He whipped it in there and it hit the ground once," he said.
"The third was Robbie’s goal. Chaddy is trying to claim it and they will have to sort that one out themselves because he thinks he is second top scorer now."
And a final word on the youngster who received that standing ovation Richard Chaplow. "I’ve said it before, Chappy is a good player. And he’ll get better if he keeps his feet on the ground."