“Top class” – Paul Ince comments on Reading player following series of errors in Rotherham United drubbing

Reading manager Paul Ince has defended goalkeeper Joe Lumley after he made a number of mistakes in their 4-0 drubbing at the hands of Rotherham United. 

The 27-year-old was arguably at fault for three of the Millers’ four goals in the humiliating defeat at the New York Stadium on Saturday afternoon.

There was nothing the Middlesbrough loanee could do about Richard Wood’s opener with his head, however he let Conor Washington’s powerful shot in at his near post for Rotherham’s second, then saw Jamie Lindsay’s somewhat tame effort from outside the area through his legs and into the back of the net.

It got even worse for Lumley as Rotherham made it 4-0 before half-time – the stopper came charging out of his goal but was beaten to the ball by Chiedozie Ogbene who slotted it into the empty net.

Despite all that, Ince has defended his number one, insisting that Lumley shouldn’t be singled out for his performance and stressed that the players win and lose as a group – Lumley having already proven he’s ‘top class’.

Speaking to the media after the game, Ince said: “Everyone will look at the goalkeeper. We lost 4-0, not because of the goalkeeper, but because we weren’t at it in the first half.

“Everyone will point the finger at Lumley but he’ll save us more points than he’ll cost us in the season because he’s a top class goalkeeper.

“He showed that against Cardiff last week. He’ll be feeling bad, but we lose together, we win together and we draw together. And we make mistakes together. If Lumley makes one, we all do, that’s how we have to feel.”

The Verdict

It’s a positive that Ince is defending his goalkeeper as following three mistakes and series of poor decision making, it wouldn’t have been a surprise to see Lumley taken off at