Steve Clarke pleads for goal technology after Birmingham loss

Steve Clarke called for goal-line technology to be introduced in the Sky Bet Championship after Reading lost 2-1 to Birmingham at St Andrew's.

Clarke made the comment after a shot from Aaron Tshibola hit the underside of the crossbar and bounced back into play.

The Reading manager said: "I don't know if it was a goal. Why they don't have goal-line technology in the Championship, League One and Two I don't know because it is such a simple thing to do.

"Every club could have it. There is so much money in the game. The professional game could be covered from top to bottom instead of giving all the money to one big superstar player.

"Give everyone enough money to put in such a system. It is a clear decision. It's either a goal or it isn't. It works in the Premier League so why not bring it in for the good of the game.

"Points are vital at every level so these sort of decisions are really important."

Clarke said: "I would have been disappointed with a point as it was a dominant away performance and we were beaten by two wicked deflections.

"Suddenly in a game we were two goals down after 48 minutes. It was a long way back against a counter-attacking team like Birmingham.

"But we gave it a go. The character was good. We remained in the game and we got back to 2-1 and the next goal should have come from us."

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Birmingham manager Gary Rowett was relieved when a last-minute penalty save by Tomasz Kuszczak from Orlando Sa enabled the hosts to hang on.

Rowett had been impressed when David Cotterill, who scored 10 goals last season, gave Birmingham a first-half lead in the 40th minute with a characteristic free-kick. Cotterill then produced an inch-perfect cross which was headed home by Jon Toral two minutes into the second half.

Reading were far from demoralised and Nick Blackman headed in a fine goal in the 59th minute to spark an exhilarating finish when the Royals were twice denied by the woodwork and also by Sa's penalty miss.

Yet again St Andrew's was not a happy hunting ground for Reading - they lost 6-1 in the corresponding game last season.

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On this occasion they undoubtedly deserved a share of the spoils as they dominated long spells.

Rowett said: "It was an amazing game. It had little bit of everything for the spectator.

"It is the sign of the Championship in some ways. People talk about it as the most unpredictable league in the world.

"We started reasonably well and deserved to be ahead but then dropped away too easily and that caused us a lot of problems.

"Reading can feel slightly aggrieved not to be level going into the last minute when they won a penalty.

"I was not overly sure it was a penalty but then Tomasz Kuszczak came up with a moment of experience and brilliance to win the game."