Boss rues red card

Leeds boss Neil Warnock could not fault his players for their efforts at Reading but rued the red card shown to Zac Thompson in the 2-0 defeat.

Warnock insisted the crime did not merit its punishment as the youngster was dismissed for a wild lunge on Jobi McAnuff. "We had the best chances," Warnock said. "I can't ask any more. I thought they were fantastic under the circumstances. We had a makeshift team and to have a man sent off so early on made it even harder. "I thought he (Thompson) was unlucky. The trouble is he set off with two feet but he's landed two or three feet before. "What the assessor's saying is if two feet are off the floor it's a red card but he's not hurt the kid. I thought (Danny) Pugh's tackle was far worse. I thought Pugh should have got sent off." A late brace from Adam Le Fondre won the game for Reading, who moved to the top of the Championship table.