Reading boss Steve Coppell admits Newcastle United's goal scorers were the difference in their 3-0 defeat.

He said: "After 45 minutes or the first 20 minutes, I thought we were looking the better team. We had a little bit more purpose.

"The first goal was just a genuine slip from a defender who, if he had stayed on his feet, would have controlled the situation.

"Again after the goal I still thought we were marginally the better side without really having the clinical cutting edge.

"We came in 2-0 down at half time and in a way I was thinking, 'How did that happen?'.

"But that's probably why we are where we are. We are down at the bottom because those kind of things do happen.

"Credit to the finishing they have in Michael Owen and Obafemi Martins and Viduka. That is a hell of a threesome, and to try to keep them quiet is a handful over the course of 90-odd minutes."