Reading boss Brian McDermott praised his players for the 5-2 win over Middlesbrough in their first game since the midweek FA Cup win at Everton. McDermott said: "You can say the right things about the need to avoid a hangover after a game like that but you have to go out and do it and we proved we were right for this game by starting well.

"At half-time I felt we need to up the tempo a bit but in the end we were comfortable winners.

"It was really satisfying on the back of the result against Everton. We made sure we weren't flat and even had a few one-on-ones that could have brought more goals.

"We had really good support from the fans today. I think it was our fourth-highest attendance of the season.

"We keep talking about the FA Cup and it has been incredible for us in the past two seasons. It's like buses. You wait 83 years for one and then two come along together.

"I want to take that cup form into the league. Cup success can be important to league form if you have that impetus.

"Now I have my eye on Ipswich and at the end of season we just tally up points and see where we are, as Kenny Dalglish would say."

Middlesbrough manager Tony Mowbray admitted his side were second best throughout the game.

He said: "Right from early on we were under pressure. In the first five minutes we conceded half a dozen corners and it never got much better.

"Reading have a lot of intensity in their play and their front two work really hard.

"I have been in charge for 19 or 20 games but it's the first time we have found a performance like that. Even if we have had bad results we have always been in matches.

"This was the first time we have been outfought and outplayed.

"It's not a day for excuses. We must put it behind us straight away. I would never have thought today that we could find that level of performance after the way we played at Nottingham Forest."