ANDRIES Ulderink took the pressure off of Reading FC's strikers despite scoring just four league goals between them this season.

Jon Dadi Bodvarsson has three league goals to his name so far while veteran forward Yann Kermorgant, who missed the start of the campaign through injury, has scored just once.

Young Sam Smith played a bit-part role for the Royals earlier on in the season but failed to hit the back of the net before picking up an injury.

Winger Modou Barrow leads the score charts for Royals with seven to his name so far since his summer switch from Premier League side Swansea City.

But assistant boss Andries Ulderink insisted the blame does not lie with Kermorgant and Bodvarsson.

“Yann Kermorgant is still the same finisher,” stated Ulderink.

“Jon Dadi Bodvarsson is still a striker who makes good runs and is good in the box.

“Yann had a ball headed off of the line against Brentford.

“There are certain moments where perhaps if you get that goal in stoppage time and earn a point then maybe it would turn things around.

“Of course it is in everyone's mind that we don't score as easily as we did last season but it's not because of Yann Kermorgant or any particular player.

“It's down to the team.”

Royals are now without a league goal in three Championship matches.

Frenchman Kermorgant, 36, came close to breaking his goal drought last Saturday when his looping header was cleared from the line against Brentford.

Reading Chronicle:

Jon Dadi Bodvarsson scored an FA Cup hat-trick but has struggled for goals in the league.

Bosses Stam and Ulderink have demanded Royals' midfielders work harder to support the strikers “What worries me the most and what we need to improve on is the chances we create,” continued Ulderink.

“We had five or six moments against Brentford. The ball was headed off of the line, Barrow had a shot which was blocked.

“Sometimes you think that from distance players should take the shot, Bacuna is an example. He has a good shot on him and sometimes you think maybe he could take the risk and get a shot away.

“There isn't one particular thing. Sometimes we're in a position where we can get a cross into the box but there's only one striker in there or the midfield players are too far away.

“The player on the wing is looking into the box and thinking well there's three defenders and one striker so maybe I should wait.

“We have spoken about it lots this week and hopefully on Friday we can do something different to create more chances and get players into the box to win that second ball.

“We have to find solutions and I think we have found it.”