BRIAN McDERMOTT hailed the impact of Deniss Rakels after the Latvian struck the goal which ended Reading’s four-game losing run.
Royals went to Loftus Road for their mid-table clash with Queens Park Rangers on the back of losses to Birmingham City, Middlesbrough, Leeds United and Hull City and a fifth was on the cards when Grant Hall headed in on the 35th minute.
But McDermott’s men responded in style, equalising after good work from Yann Kermorgant and Andrew Taylor led to Rakels finding space in the area to smartly sweep in from close range and seal a 1-1 draw.
Speaking to the assembled media after the game, McDermott was keen to praise the striker who joined Reading in January from Polish side Cracovia.
“The lads love him, the fans love him and he’ll score goals,” said the Royals boss.
“He’s got that in the locker.
“He made his goal look really easy, it was a great finish.
“It was good work by Yann and he took it really well.
“We needed to score just before half time and we did.”
He continued: “(Deniss) is a lovely lad.
“If he gets a chance, I think Deniss scores.
“He was disappointed at the end himself because he thinks he should’ve scored from the header, just didn’t get any connection on it.
“I said ‘don’t worry, save that for next season!”
McDermott made two changes to the side which lost against Hull with George Evans and Kermorgant coming in for Michael Hector and Matej Vydra while Chris Gunter returned from injury to take his place on the bench.
QPR also rang the changes, making five in total following their midweek 4-0 loss at Brighton, and both sides started brightly.
Sebastian Polter had the first chance but, as became a familiar theme for the majority of the contest, his shot across goal was parried away by Ali Al-Habsi.
Kermorgant, Rakels and Simon Cox all had chances but could not find the target before Al-Habsi was again called into action to deny Polter.
Tjaronn Chery, who was Rangers’ chief threat during the opening 45 minutes, won a free kick after a foul by Oliver Norwood and stepped up himself, curling towards the bottom corner but he saw his effort tipped away.
The deadlock was broken in disappointing fashion from a Royals perspective as a deep Alejandro Faurlin corner was met by centre-back Hall, who powerfully nodded back across goal and netted his first goal for QPR, despite the best efforts of Norwood on the line.
But Reading did not let this affect them, quickly levelling the contest in a move instigated by Kermorgant.
The hard-working Frenchman slid in well to knock the ball out to Andrew Taylor, who returned a cross to Kermorgant on the edge of the box.
And the 34-year-old’s blossoming relationship with Rakels grew further as he slipped the ball through to the poacher to tuck in his third goal for the club, one that his first half display had deserved.
In truth the contest died down after the break with only a stunning save from Matt Ingram to deny a Norwood free-kick and another Al-Habsi save to stop Polter the highlights.
That was until the closing moments when at one end a teasing Garath McCleary cross just evaded the head of Rakels before down the other end a mix-up between Jake Cooper and Al-Habsi allowed Polter in but he completely fluffed his chance from close range.
“When you lose four on the spin it’s not pleasant,” said McDermott.
“Especially some of the stuff that’s gone on, losing at Middlesbrough so late on, going to Leeds, controlling the game and getting nothing and then getting nothing the other night against Hull.
“It’s about getting the basics right and that’s what we need going forward.”
Reading: Al-Habsi; McCleary, Ferdinand, Cooper, Taylor (Gunter 77); Evans, Norwood, Quinn (Hector 71); Cox; Kermorgant (Vydra 81), Rakels.
Subs not used: Bond, Barrett, Piazon, John.
Goal: Rakels (41)
Yellow card: Norwood (25)
QPR: Ingram; Perch, Onuoha, Hall, Kpekawa; Luongo, Faurlin; Gladwin (El Khayati 71), Chery (Washington 87), Phillips (Petrasso 77); Polter.
Subs not used: Lumley, Hill, Diakite, Hoilett.
Goal: Hall (35)
Attendance: 16,225
Referee: Stuart Attwell
