Ince tells his Royals to be 'heroes'

READING boss Paul Ince urged his players to become “heroes” after they followed their six-point deduction by the EFL in midweek with a scrappy home draw with Birmingham.

- Paul Millington

With a visit to in-form Preston to come tomorrow, they now head to Deepdale on the back of a three-game unbeaten run, following four straight defeats.

Andy Carroll gave the Royals a seventh-minute lead after a slick team move, but Blues levelled just before the half-hour when Lukas Jutkiewicz powered home a header.

Neither side impressed in a tame second half, the draw dropping Reading into the relegation zone for the first time since the opening day of the season.

Ince said: “I’ve said to the players the situation you are in [points deduction] is not down to you.

“Where you are, you’re in a situation that you’re the victims of. So, whatever happens, it’s not going to be down to you.