Reading 3-0 Cambridge United: Garry Monk bemoans mistakes at both ends of the pitch during League One defeat at the Select Car Leasing Stadium

Head coach Garry Monk has conceded that his Cambridge United side were not good enough at either end of the pitch during last night’s 3-0 defeat at Reading.

The U’s were wasteful in attacking situations during a goal-less opening 45 minutes and then went on to concede three times in the space of 18 second-half minutes.

Monk said: “It was a hugely disappointing result. In the first half I felt like we had some really good situations, we were well in the game and we needed to make much better use of the situations we were creating.

“We got into some really good situations and it’s just that final decision or that lack of composure that didn’t allow us to make the most of those situations. We had a lot of them in the first half.

“And then that’s a hugely disappointing first 20 minutes of the second half – it cost us dearly. Before you know it we’re three goals down.

“Yes the third goal is a fantastic finish, but the first two are so avoidable and it’s stuff we’ve actually been doing quite well more often than not over this period.

“It’s strange because obviously you don’t see that coming after the first half when I thought we were competing, doing well and creating some good situations. So to see that first 20 minutes (of the second half) was hugely disappointing.”

The loss in Berkshire has put an even bigger emphasis on Saturday’s home clash against Shrewsbury Town – one of only two sides that are below the U’s in the League One table.

The gap to safety has grown to five points and Monk’s men can ill afford for that to increase further.

He added: “As disappointed and frustrated as we are at this moment in time, I know there’s more than enough in that changing room in terms of attitude.

“We have to dust ourselves down and make sure there’s a huge response on Saturday – I’m sure there will be.

“We have the type of group that is capable of doing that and we know every game is huge, but Saturday is even bigger now. We’ve got to go and put a response in after a result like that.”