READING boss, Brendan Rodgers, believed that most teams would have folded under his side's incessant pressure during the second-half of Saturday's 1-1 draw.

Carl Marston

READING boss, Brendan Rodgers, believed that most teams would have folded under his side's incessant pressure during the second-half of Saturday's 1-1 draw.

But Ipswich Town stood firm, which earned the admiration of 36-year-old manager Rodgers, especially for his opposite number Roy Keane.

“The supporters kept pushing the team on, whenever there was a lull, but it's just not meant to be at the moment. Yet you have to give credit to Roy,” insisted Rodgers.

“His team stuck to it, while other teams might have buckled. His players are playing for him, and they are putting their bodies on the line.

“Ipswich are a good team and they are unlucky to be where they are, because they've drawn too many games,” added Rodgers.

The Royals have still not won a home league game since January, a lean spell that has spanned 16 league matches.

Rodgers believes that this dreadful sequence of results is affecting his team.

“There is a clear, clear difference in how we play away and at home,” explained Rodgers.

“We don't have as much freedom to pass the ball, which comes from the burden of not winning at home.

“We are more anxious at home, while we are more fluent away. We dominate with possession, but lack that little bit in the

box.

“And we gave away a stupid goal, which gave us a mountain to climb from the start. I was surprised with how tentative we were after going a goal down, but in the second half we got the momentum.”

Former Watford boss Rodgers had current Town striker Tamas Priskin on his books at Vicarage Road, and he feared that the Hungarian international would snatch a late winner for Keane's men. Priskin failed to hit the target with just keeper Adam Federici to beat on 88 minutes.

Rodgers continued: “Tamas Priskin, who I know well, went close with an earlier header. With his last opportunity, I'd have backed him nine times out of 10 to score.

“He did that a few times for me at Watford. I'd have fancied him to score. Yet a positive for us is that this is a game we might have lost 2-1 earlier in the season.

“However, another game has gone by and it's a frustrating end to a good two weeks for us.”