READING FC’s Michael Hector has called on his team-mates to get back to basics and ‘stop taking risks’ after individual errors cost the Royals dearly at Brentford.

The defensive disasters followed a similar pattern to the previous week against Wolves at Madejski Stadium, though a clean sheet inbetween at Leeds United was a welcome bonus.

First-half strikes from the lively Jota and Alex Pritchard put Brentford in control at Griffin Park on Saturday, before Jonathan Douglas sealed victory late on after Simon Cox had pulled one back.

And Hector admitted that the defensive performance wasn’t good enough for the 1,600 Reading fans that made the short journey down the M4, insisting that all three goals were avoidable.

“I don’t think we even turned up on Saturday,” he said. “It was really sloppy. We showed up for the second-half but it was too late by then.

“We should defend a lot better for the goals, all three goals were mistakes from us and I feel the only positive is that we can play a lot better.

“I think personally that some players are taking a few risks at the back and we need to cut that out, and until we do then we’re going to concede goals like that.

“We were all over them after our goal but the third goal killed our momentum.”

It has been a season to remember so far for Hector, establishing himself as a regular centre-back partner for Alex Pearce when Sean Morrison was sold to Cardiff City in August.

He marked his first game there as man of the match in a 1-0 win at home to Ipswich Town, and has missed just one game since.

The Royals Academy product then scored his first goal for the club in last week’s 3-3 draw with Wolves, though the feat was marred by a Wolves fightback.

And Hector is optimistic that things will improve after the international break, if Nigel Adkins’ side can pick up results against Derby and Bournemouth.

“We’ve got a few weeks now until the next game,” said the 22-year-old. “We’ll look at where we went wrong and aim to bounce back. Derby and Bournemouth will be tough games but if we can get results then suddenly everything looks up again.”

Hector’s defensive partner Chris Gunter was equally annoyed by the sloppy defensive errors, insisting that the team must improve after the international break.

“We need to stop giving poor goals away,” declared the Wales international. “We have spells at times where we look really comfortable such as Leeds but then other games we make errors and then you make it hard for yourself.

“It’s never nice to lose a game, especially before the international break. It’s not a nice feeling. It’s been a tough spell, there’s been a lot of games and a lot of travelling. That’s not excuses but this break might do us good and we’ll come back stronger.

“It’s disappointing but we’ll look at it and see what we can do a lot better.”

Reading return to Championship action when they host Derby County Saturday, October 18.