Reading FC: John Swift says beating Blackburn Rovers was 'even bigger' than defeating Leeds United en route to play-off finals

Royals defeated Blackburn Rovers 3-1 at Madejski Stadium on Tuesday night for a third successive victory that puts them nine points ahead of Fulham in seventh.

Swift suggested the victory against Blackburn was even more important than the 1-0 win over play-off rivals Leeds United on Saturday as a Yann Kermorgant brace and Garath McCleary strike rocketed the Royals up to third.

“It’s even bigger than the Leeds win,” declared the England Under 21 midfielder. “We didn’t want to let our performance slip from the last two results. We did it well and we controlled the game so it was a massive three points.

“Blackburn changed their formation in the second half which made it harder for us. We ended up having to go more direct up to Yann, but he kept flicking them on for us to pick up the seconds.

“It was sloppy from us to give away a goal but we showed great character to come back straight away and score our third.”

And he stressed: “The confidence is flowing throughout the team at the moment.

“We are on a great run and we all feel like we can keep it going. It’s good that our focal point up front is scoring goals.

“All the boys are really confident, we want to go out there and make the top six and it’s looking likely now. But we have to take every game as it comes.”

Midfield ace John Swift, right, says confidence is oozing through the Reading FC team.

Swift, with eight goals since his summer switch from Chelsea, squandered a gilt-edged chance to pile even more pressure on Tony Mowbray’s relegation-threatened Blackburn.

Reading were cruising at the break thanks to two fabulous headers by the in-form Kermorgant.

But they were pegged back by an Elliott Bennett wonder strike – only for McCleary to immediately restore the Royals’ two-goal lead.

“You get nervous,” declared Swift. “Two-nil is a good lead but you can always slip up, especially after conceding one. When Garath came on to get the third that was a big relief for everyone, it deflated Blackburn. After that we were in control and saw it out.”

He added: “I’m not worried about missing chances. If we weren’t creating them to miss them then we would be in trouble.

“The fact is we are creating chances. Okay, they didn’t always come off against Blackburn and Leeds, but eventually they will go in.”

Swift also spoke of his relief at discovering Leeds and Fulham had both lost on Tuesday night to put Reading in an even stronger position in the battle for a play-off spot.

“It’s good that Leeds and Fulham both dropped points,” beamed Swift. “It’s the first thing we looked at in the dressing room, but we still had our own jobs to do.”

Reading travel to Norwich City on Saturday (3pm ko) looking to make it four Championship wins in a row.

Skipper Paul McShane has been ruled out through injury, though Jordan Obita will return to the squad after recovering from severe cramp.