Reading FC made a remarkable comeback as substitutes Paddy Lane and Matt Ritchie smashed two goals six minutes apart past Bradford City to secure a 2-1 victory at the Select Car Leasing Stadium.

Reacting to the two last minute goals after the game, Richardson said: “I think that’s football, isn’t it? The emotions are there for all to see.

“It’s a squad game. You keep going, you keep pushing, and we’ve come a long way since November and it’s just another one of them moments where, you know, we step forward.

“The lads who came on the pitch, I thought they were excellent, finished the game really strong.

“I think on reflection, we probably did edge it in all the stats, they’ve had, obviously, a goal from outside the box, a pop shot a little bit and I thought the majority of fans stuck with us to the end, and it’s partly for them as well.”

He added: “Everybody judges it with emotion and result, which we’ve said before.

“You know, the last couple of games, when you don’t get the result, then you make the wrong subs, when you get the right result, you make the right subs and like I always say, I’m very consistent in what I do

“When you win games, you just have the same issues, same challenges, just less opinions.

“Today is all for the players. I thought, especially you know, 1,700 fans travelled to Port Vale last week and again we suffered a 90-plus minute equaliser on a really tough pitch, challenging game but the lads have responded terrifically, haven’t they against a really strong Bradford team like I spoke before the game, who have been recruiting for a long time, got a lot of league appearances within that.

“I thought we deserved the result today.”

Richardson and the squad have come under increased criticism on social media and the media, this reporter included, for the performances against Wimbledon, Bolton and Port Vale specifically with the latter two considered games where the Royals had dropped four points.

When asked if he had any words for the fans after the game, he said: “I don’t think anybody didn’t stick with us, I think they want the football club to win.

“They don’t want to get beat, especially at home and it’s their willingness to try and put their emotion onto the pitch, and that’s football.

“It’s my job as leader to recognise everything that goes on at the football club and build it forward. I’m very positive in what I try and I’ve got a real alignment in how to get there. So, yes, hopefully we can carry on doing that.”

Finley Burns celebrating with Paddy Lane after the Bradford game (Image: Reading FC)

Lane and Ritchie combined to send the Select Car Leasing Stadium into delirium, as the former Newcastle winger crossed a ball into to the back post, the ball was flicked on by Bradford’s defence but fell sweetly for Lane who volleyed the ball first-time to put it past Walker to pull level. 

Reacting to the goal, Richardson said: “The ball’s coming out of the sky. He’s not been on that long, and I think the technique was everything. If he got his technique right, he was going to work the keeper and that’s what Paddy’s got.

“That’s why they brought him to the football club. We’ve got to see more of them moments. He’s had a couple of injuries, and hopefully now he’s up and running, and that will give him really good confidence.”

Minutes later Lane and Charlie Savage linked up on the left-flank, with the former Portsmouth man fighting with everything he had to keep the attack going as he fell whilst under-pressure.

He flicked it to Savage on the edge of the box, who took one look and whipped the ball into the box – where Ritchie, one of the shortest players on the field, leaped above the towering Bradford defenders and thundered a header past Walker and complete the comeback to send the Royals supporters into an absolute frenzy.

On Ritchie, the gaffer said: “Matt Ritchie is an ultimate professional. That’s why he’s still playing at his age. That’s why he’s had the career that he’s had.

“I said to the players straight away after the game there, could you give any more? No.

“If you ever need a reason why it’s a squad game, there’s your reason – 90-plus minutes at home, 1-0, and then you go and win 2-1 and give everything for the shirt and don’t stop until the final whistle.

“The quality then, again, from Paddy on the far side as well, with Charlie Savage with the cross and then, like I say, he’s trained really hard, he’s kept going, and if Matt Ritchie can do it at 36 with hundreds of Premier League appearances, every single one of our lads can do that.”

Looking ahead to Luton Town, Richardson said: “Our next game is Luton Town, we won’t look past it, we don’t look too far forward.

“We haven’t got any targets this year other than to try and be competitive in every single game and try and win every single game. Try and be better after every single result, regardless of what it is.

“We know where we’ve come from, I think there’s a lot of people around here, fans included. We know where the football club’s been, it’s only been a bit of a decline for a number of years.

“I think with the ownership coming in, Joe Jacobson, etc. and myself, we’ve managed to stop that decline and hopefully now we can start rolling that ball back up again.”