"We didn't have a chance tonight, we were impotent. We've got to be better than that. We were spanked!"
Royle went with one lone striker in Sam Parkin, with Currie, Richards, Juan, Horlock and Willaims comprising the five in midfield, to nullify the attacking threat of the Reading midfield.
The plan back-fired, however, when Parkin sustained an ankle injury early on, which meant he had to be replaced by Forster.
After the first goal from Sidwell on 28, Royle sacrificed Horlock from the midfield to allow Naylor to go upfront, with Wilnis in the defence. The decision to move Naylor forward was met with cheers from the home fans but Royle, perhaps, was critical of the fan base when he said:
"The only noise after that really was the dropping of pins."
The boss was full of praise for the Reading display, however, and said: "You have to ask yourself sometimes if it was because we were poor or they were so good.
"The performance by Reading was easily the best I have seen in this division; powerful, athletic and a quick side with players like Harper, Sidwell, Convey and Little driving the midfield."
The win takes Reading's unbeaten run to 22 in all competitions and means they have now done the double over the blues.
The only concilation, perhaps, was that rivals Norwich also lost on the night, at bottom club Milwall that ensures Town stay above the canaries in the table.