Intro:

Steve Clarke believes a number of key decisions went against Reading in their FA Cup semi-final loss to Arsenal.

Script:

SOUNDBITE Steve Clarke, Reading manager: (on his disappointment and his belief in his side)
"The first emotion is disappointment, because I know you guys didn't believe me, and not many people outside the dressing room believed me. I thought we'd win. I really thought we'd win and I think the performance showed why I had that belief. The players were tactically spot-on. they played the game I asked them to play. Everyone thought we'd come here and shut up shop and camp in and defend and defend and defend, 4-5-1 or whatever, one striker, but we came, we had a go. We played (with a) front two, and we had a go. And there were certain stages in the game, where we were the better team, which a big achievement against such a good side as Arsenal."

SOUNDBITE Steve Clarke, Reading manager: (on the big decisions in the game not going Reading's way)

"We're in a cycle where the team are not getting the breaks and not getting the chances to win matches. Today was typical of our season, you know. You come here, you have a plan for the game, the first big decision of the game, is (Jamie) Mackie offside after eleven minutes? Clear through on goal. He wasn't offside. Second half, at 1-1, is (Pavel) Pogrebnyak clear through? He's not offside. Handball in the box (by Mathieu Debuchy) and not handball when it's here (gestures to his side), handball when it's here (gestures with arm outstretched), the cross comes in the box from... it's a penalty. And these are the moments you need in a game like this, if you're the underdog and you're the team that's a little bit less than Arsenal. You need these moments to go for you. Unfortunately for us, at the moment, they are not going for us."