Reading manager Nigel Adkins has laid into his team following today's 3-0 defeat at Middlesbrough.

The 48-year-old said that the Royals' performance simply was not good enough, although he did feel that key decisions went against them at the Riverside Stadium.

Kaspars Gorkss was sent off for a second bookable offence following a late challenge on Grant Leadbitter, before Alex Pearce was adjudged to have brought down Emanuel Ledesma inside the area late in the game.

"We have not been anywhere near good enough today, we can't hide from that fact," he told reporters. "We started brightly but Middlesbrough countered well to score the first and I'm a bit disappointed with some of the decisions from the referee.

"Kaspars Gorkss has been sent off and I'm not sure the first was a booking and for the second he didn't even touch the player. Was there a foul in the build-up to the second? Maybe. And the penalty seemed a bit harsh too.

"But no excuses, we weren't good enough to be where we want to be and that is pushing for the Premier League. And fair play to Middlesbrough, they played well. We know we need to strengthen in January and we have had injuries but that performance was nowhere near good enough - and it's my responsibility to deal with it."

The Berkshire club are ninth in the Championship.