READING'S assistant manager John Gorman is appealing to the Royals' long-suffering fans to stick with their team and urge them on to a much-needed win against Burnley tonight.

For the second year running, Reading have started badly and their early season problems cost Tommy Burns his job when he was axed by benefactor and club chairman John Madejski in September.

Alan Pardew and number two Gorman have struggled to stop the rot, despite an encouraging start to their reign, as the Berkshire club find themselves just a point above the drop-zone.

And the fans vented their anger as they scraped a draw against Halifax Town in the FA Cup on Saturday, Darren Caskey's 75th-minute penalty averting a third straight defeat.

Gorman claims that he understands the supporters' frustration.

"They want to see success and I agree with them. I want success and I want good, free-flowing football. That's the way I want to play and Alan is the same.

"There are things wrong. I am not trying to make excuses and we know we've got things to do, to bring players in and to improve. And we will," he said.

But the former England assistant boss, who left his position at West Bromwich Albion to become rookie Pardew's right-hand man, believes they should be helping the side ride out their current problems - starting against the Clarets.

"We had a good run of three or four games and everyone said 'You've turned the corner.'

"But we got beat at Oxford and had a nightmare result at Millwall and we've got to start building again.

"We are still in the Cup, we've got Burnley here tonight and everybody should get behind the team instead of turning against them," he added.

The Royals have been plagued by injury problems but still rank as one of the Second Division's major under-achievers, given the millions Burns was allowed to spend.

They are still attracting an average home League gate of 8,390 but it's clear that if Burnley can get their noses in front, then the Reading players will come under renewed pressure from the crowd.

Having enjoyed a spell of three wins and a draw up to the beginning of the month, Reading have since lost a televised derby at home to Oxford and crashed to a 5-0 defeat at Millwall prior to Saturday's Cup scare.

The fifth-placed Clarets will therefore be looking to avoid the wounded animal syndrome and capitalise on the feeling of discontent to secure a third success on the road in the first of two away games inside four days.

"We've got Reading and Wigan which are two hard games. But we've got nothing to fear and, if we keep playing as we are, we can be a match for anyone," insisted midfield man John Mullin.

And team-mate Paul Cook is also looking to sustain a run of form which has brought Stan Ternent's side six wins in seven games, with only two goals conceded. "At the minute our next game is always a big game," he said. "All of a sudden the momentum is going well, but it's important that we keep it going and that means at Reading."

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