Burnley went to the Madejski Stadium having not lost in nine games, but went down to goals from Noel and Stephen Hunt and Shane Long, with Chris McCann netting a late consolation.

Coyle's men had won five of six games in September, earning him the Manager of the Month award, and he looked back at a rare setback: "I thought there were two very good teams that certainly try and pass and move the ball, and I'm disappointed to be on the end of a 3-1 scoreline.

"We prepared and showed the lads what to expect, because we knew Reading have been in terrific form, carrying all before them, so I was disappointed with the first goal we lost.

"But I certainly couldn't be disappointed with the first half performance after that.

"I felt we dominated the half, and when we look back and analyse the game, I don't think Brian Jensen has had a save to make.

"Reading do deliver quality ball into the box, and Hunt is a top player, Doyle is a terrific striker, and that's why he's valued at £8-10m, but we were unfortunate not to come in level at the break.

"But we then conceded, from my point of view, a goal we should have defended better at the back post.

"Reading were clinical all afternoon.

"Clarke Carlisle played after struggling with his back, and his movement was limited, and that played a part in some of that, but I don't want to take anything away from Reading, who are a very good football side.

"But I think we offered a lot to the game."

Coyle was pleased with some aspects of the performance, and added: "We know we competed well against a team that I think you would expect to be one of the top two come the end of the season.

"There's undoubted Premier League quality there, but I think we showed we can more than compete. And we play them again at the end of the month.

"I was disappointed with the goals we lost - we have defended far better than that – but I think there were reasons for that, and I know what they are, and I'll make sure we look to rectify that.

"Maybe it was a game too far - we've played an awful lot of games - but it was the same for both teams, and we're not hiding behind that.

"But we've been defending better than that, in terms of the goals we lost.

"We still carried a threat, still showed a lot of heart and kept going, so while we're disappointed with the result, but not parts of the performance.

"We wanted to sign off on a positive note, but we'll take a kick in the teeth, take our medicine and look to come back and try and go on another unbeaten run.

"It's certainly not easy to do that in the Championship, we can vouch for that, but we'll take one game at a time again and start again with Birmingham at home, so they will come thick and fast again against quality, but that's what you want, they are the type of teams you want to play against."

He was, however, disappointed with the decision to send off Stephen Jordan deep into injury time for an innocuous offence: "I don't want to be seen as petty, but we do our best to win each and every game, and there's a time in football when common sense can play a part.

"I spoke to the referee very amicably at the end, and he felt it was a caution, and I thought Stevie Jordan was fouled initially in the build-up.

"Having said that, even then, there was 10 seconds to play, Reading had a free kick and there was no chance of Stevie going up the other end and scoring a goal.

"Commonsense should prevail, but I'm not under the pressure referees have of giving cautions and so forth.

"We tried our utmost to fulfil the respect campaign, and I just think that should have been dealt with in a different manner.

"I think it was for a tug back, but I thought Stevie was fouled before that, and I felt there were quite a few (decisions) like that on the afternoon."