Brian McDermott believes Reading will learn from throwing away a two-goal lead when they target a promotion push next season.

Alex Pearce and Gylfi Sigurdsson struck after the break to put Royals on course for the win, but two late goals from Gary Hooper and Matt Sparrow earned Scunthorpe the point that secured their Championship safety.

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McDermott said: “When we are really going for things next season that will not happen and we will see the game out. We got involved in an end-to-end game when it was 2-0 and we didn’t need to. We will learn from that, move on and make sure it doesn’t happen again.

“It was a fantastic effort by the lads and everybody is gutted in there and I am gutted for the fans that travelled tonight.

“I felt we had done enough to win the game, but this is football and there were two honest sides out there, having a real go.”

McDermott was also critical of referee Graham Salisbury’s performance after he failed to send off Cliff Byrne for the foul that led to the penalty.

He added: “It’s an obvious red card. I don’t like players getting sent off, but that was a red card, it beggars belief really.”

McDermott made one change to the side that thumped Peterborough United, with Simon Church replacing Shane Long who dropped to the bench.

Top-scorer Sigurdsson fired straight at Joe Murphy early on, before skipper Brian Howard shot narrowly wide from 25 yards after good work from midfield partner Jay Tabb.

Royals were enjoying the majority of possession, but the hosts were looking dangerous on the break and Gary Hooper came close to giving The Iron the lead after 17 minutes.

An uncharacteristic error from Andy Griffin allowed Martyn Woolford space on the left and his cross looked set to be turned home by Hooper, only for Zurab Khizanishvil to come to the rescue with a superb last-ditch tackle.

Sigurdsson missed a glorious chance to open the scoring after 28 minutes when Jimmy Kebe surged down the right and cut the ball back to the unmarked midfielder.

The 20-year-old was no more than 10 yards out at the centre of the goal, but fired well over the bar.

A neat interchange between Hooper and Woolford led to the latter shooting wide as Scunthorpe ended the half in a positive manner and the home side came agonisingly close to taking the lead in injury time.

Garry Thompson and the highly-rated Hooper exchanged passes on the right wing before Thompson delivered a dangerous deep cross to the lurking Woolford.

The winger cushioned a volley goalwards and Adam Federici could only watch as the ball bounced off the underside of the bar and away from danger.

Scunthorpe came just as close at the start of the second half after Khizanishvili was adjudged to have fouled Paul Hayes just outside the area. Grant McCann curled the free-kick over the wall, but again against the bar.

The hosts were made to pay two minutes later when Church challenged for Howard’s free-kick and the ball fell for Pearce to bundle home from close range.

Scunthorpe should have been level 60 seconds later, but Woolford could only head straight at Federici following Griffin’s mis-kick.

Hooper then wasted a gilt-edged opportunity when he rounded Federici, but somehow managed to shoot wide with the goal at his mercy.

Royals were looking vulnerable at the back, but dangerous on the break, and Howard came close to doubling the lead, only for his 25-yard free-kick to be superbly turned around the post by Joe Murphy.

McAnuff was proving to be a real attacking threat in the second half and he fashioned Reading's second goal 19 minutes from time.

He latched onto Sigurdsson’s inch-perfect through ball and was brought down in the area by Scunthorpe captain Byrne, who was very fortunate not to see red for the challenge.

Sigurdsson stepped up and converted, but there was an element of fortune as the ball went under Murphy.

Substitute Long almost added a third soon after, but Murphy produced a stunning save to parry the Ireland striker’s excellent 25-yard effort away for a corner.

The hosts threw everything at Reading and were given a lifeline nine minutes from time when Thompson’s shot was parried by Federici and Hooper made no mistake from close range.

Scunthorpe continued to surge forward and got their reward with an injury-time equaliser that secured their Championship survival.

Midfielder Sparrow collected the ball on the edge of the area and fired in a speculative effort that took a cruel deflection giving Federici no chance.

Scunthorpe (4-4-2): Murphy, Byrne (c), Mirfin, Canavan (Forte, 85), A.Wright, Sparrow, McCann, Thompson, Woolford, Hayes (Togwell, 90+1), Hooper. Subs not used: Lillis, Milne, O’Connor, J.Wright, McDermott. Booked: Murphy, Byrne, A.Wright, Thompson, Hayes.

Reading (4-2-3-1): Federici, Bertrand, Pearce, Griffin, Khizanishvili, Tabb, McAnuff, Kebe, Sigurdsson, Howard (c) (Karacan, 80), Church (Long, 61). Subs not used: Hamer, Gunnarsson, Henry, Robson-Kanu, Rasiak. Booked: Pearce, Khizanishvili, McAnuff

Attendance: 5,299  (310  away)

Referee: Graham Salisbury (Lancashire)

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