“I’ll enjoy a glass of wine tonight,” Interim Manager Paul Ince smiled at the start of his post-match press conference at Bramall Lane. “Actually, maybe just half a glass…we’ve got another game on Monday!”
Sheffield United went into the game desperate for three points to sustain their push for a play-off place and promotion – and, unbeaten on home turf in their last 12 before this afternoon, the odds were doubtlessly stacked against Reading on the road.
But, not for the first time, the Royals showed how their ability, spirit and togetherness can see them be a match for any side on their day.
“It was a fantastic performance from the boys. This was probably some of the best stuff I’ve seen them play under me,” Ince began.
“All the components were there. We threw bodies on the line, when we had the ball we cut them apart with precise, quick passing…we looked like a proper, proper team.
“When you’re playing against a top team like Sheffield United, and they are a top team – they’ve not been beaten here for 12 or 13 games before this – you can see what it means to win here.
“And I thought it was thoroughly deserved. And so did Paul Heckingbottom - who told me at the final whistle he thought the best team won.
“We had two or three great chances in the first half – Lucas scored a great goal and has a great chance to make it 2-0 and give our defenders a breather with a cushion.
“But it didn’t happen and it looked like we might have to settle for a point right at the very end. But to respond the way we did after conceding that late, late goal – it just shows you everything about this team.
“You look at this team in the first half and you wonder how they are where they are. It baffles me. But they’ve got together now and shown real spirit. And today they didn’t give up.
“When Sheffield United equalised, to go back down the pitch and get the winner…shows you what you need to know about these players.”
-The Royals now do have a cushion above the bottom three – but there is still football to be played before Ince and his side can contemplate safety.
“Cardiff at home was a great opportunity for us last weekend. To lose that one and you look at the fixtures coming up, if you’d said we would take three points from a trip to Sheffield United and a home game against Swansea over Easter, I would have said yes please.
“But maybe that was me doing my players a disservice. We’ve shown we can beat Blackburn at home, we’ve shown we can go to Bournemouth and we should have got three points. And again today we come to a team who are fighting to get into the play-offs and get promoted – and we outplayed them.
“It’s nine points right now. But Derby play at home to Fulham tonight, Barnsley still have a game in hand…however, we’ve given ourselves a great chance.
“But this game has a habit of kicking you in the balls. You can’t get carried away. It was a massive result today…for sure. And it takes us into Monday with a lot of confidence.”