Reading FC's Matt Miazga wants Royals to push up the table

Mark Bowen’s side ended a dreadful rut at Madejski Stadium as they claimed their first home win since Boxing Day with a 2-0 win over Barnsley on Saturday.

Miazga was one of five fresh faces in the side following Bowen’s decision to wield the axe on his first-team squad after the dreadful 3-0 defeat against Wigan last week.

The win, courtesy of goals from Yakou Meite and George Puscas, keeps Reading eight points above the Championship drop-zone.

But Chelsea FC loanee Miazga insisted he is not worried about teams beneath 16th-placed Royals.

“The way I’m looking at it is we’re moving forward,” stressed the USA international.

“We’re 11 points from the play-offs. We want to keep pushing forward and keep on winning games.

“A lot of the teams in the middle of the pack drew today so if we keep on winning one game at a time then you never know what can happen.”

Manager Bowen fumed at his side following their lacklustre display against the Latics at Madejski Stadium last Wednesday.

Midfielders Pele and Felipe Araruna were hooked from the starting XI along with striker Sam Baldock and defender Omar Richards.

Captain Liam Moore was also left out of the squad due to illness.

When asked if the manager had sent a message to the players with his team selection, Miazga replied: “I think so, we knew we needed to improve.

“Whenever we’ve had a mishap during the season we’ve come back with a reaction and we did that again against Barnsley.

“I’m glad that we put in a good shift. The midfielders ran their socks off.”

He added: “The most important thing was to have a reaction,” declared Miazga.

“You could see our effort and our intent right from the beginning.

“It wasn’t the perfect game but the most important thing was getting the three points and moving up the table.”

Royals now take a break from Championship action as they prepare to face high-flying Premier League outfit Sheffield United in the FA Cup next Tuesday (8pm ko).