Portsmouth boss John Mousinho had mixed emotions after his side beat Reading 4-1 at Fratton Park.

Colby Bishop scored his 16th goal of the season to help Pompey maintain their six-point lead at the top of League One.

Mousinho said: “I am very pleased with the win, but obviously disappointed to concede as well.

“I thought Reading were excellent in the early stages and were causing us problems, and we were fortunate not to have conceded during that spell. They showed a lot of energy and a lot of purpose.

“We changed a couple of things after the first half-hour, which seemed to make them more open and direct. That helped us obviously as we have hit the back of the net four times.

“We weren’t organised behind the ball enough and lost too many challenges and second balls in the first half, but I thought we were excellent in the second half.”

The Royals dominated the first 25 minutes and had several chances of opening the scoring with efforts from Andy Yiadom on 11 minutes and Lewis Wing a minute later.

Paul Mukairu put the simplest chance over the bar from inside the six-yard box and the league leaders instead took the lead on 36 minutes as Abu Kamara broke down the middle and passed to Paddy Lane, who rifled the ball home off David Button’s body.

Marlon Pack and Callum Lang drove home and Pompey made it four thanks to Bishop’s strike, but the Royals got a consolation late on from Charlie Savage.

Reading manager Ruben Selles said: “I think we dominated the first half, and I think they were lucky not to be 2-0 down.

“We came here to defend higher up the pitch and to play well, and I think we did that very well.

“I think we continued to do well even after going a goal down, but the second knocked us back a bit and we lost our composure.

“There are areas we could do better but overall, I was very pleased with the performance, and showed we can compete with the top teams.

“It is hard to take that we have played that well but conceded four goals.

“There is nothing major in terms of injuries. Sam Smith was able to travel and got some valuable minutes under his belt.

“We have two home games now on Tuesday and Saturday and we need to build on how we’ve performed today.”

Colby Bishop’s 16th goal of the season helped Portsmouth complete a 4-1 rout of hapless Reading at Fratton Park.

The Royals dominated the first 25 minutes and had several chances to open the scoring, with efforts from Andy Yiadom on 11 minutes and Lewis Wing a minute later.

But it was Paul Mukairu who had the simplest chance, putting the ball over the bar from inside the six-yard box.

The league leaders took the lead on 36 minutes as Abu Kamara broke down the middle and passed to Paddy Lane, who rifled the ball home off keeper David Button’s body.

Pompey doubled their lead four minutes into the second half when Marlon Pack drove home, and it soon became 3-0 on 58 minutes with an identical strike from Callum Lang.

Pompey made it four thanks to Bishop’s strike but the Royals got a consolation late on from Charlie Savage.

Reading manager Ruben Selles felt his side deserved the victory as they defeated promotion-chasing Derby 1-0 in League One.

The win came off the back of news that the Berkshire side were given a suspended three-point deduction for the abandonment of their recent game against Port Vale due to a pitch invasion.

A second-half goal from Paul Mukairu proved the difference in a game that closes the survival gap to four points.

While Selles was unsurprised with the decision of the EFL, he preferred to focus on his side.

He said “We are very happy with the performance of the team and the boys. They responded really well and got three points towards our target. We need to continue like we did today.

“We still need to improve, sometimes in that final third especially we miss the last pass.

“One was enough today but we could have closed the game if we found that final pass better.

“If you see previous cases from the EFL, the statement and punishment they put out today was in line with the other clubs – we knew that was going to come.

“The fans made their point last time, and they made their point today that they were supportive on the pitch. What we saw today was a team playing well.”

Reading had the first opportunity on 16 minutes when captain Andy Yiadom turned in the box but saw his shot come off the post and into the arms of keeper Josh Vickers.

The home side went ahead nine minutes after the interval. Femi Azeez found the woodwork – the third time in the match the ball had hit the post – but the rebound fell into the path of Mukairu who slotted home for his fifth goal of the season.

Reading were clearly growing in confidence after going ahead, although they perhaps should have been pegged back on 64 minutes when Tyreece John-Jules directed a header wide.

That was as good as it got for Derby, who disappointed in their chance to go top, leaving manager Paul Warne frustrated at the lacklustre display.

He said “Disappointed, we had a good opportunity to get to the top of the league.

“I thought we got outfought and outrun. We didn’t win enough second balls and if you can’t play the way you want to play you have to roll your sleeves up.

“We got caught too many times in the middle of the pitch, and I don’t think we did enough in the final third to win the game.

“Maybe I should have freshened the side up a bit more, but we have got a really talented team.

“To go top, I would expect more from my team and the dressing room expects more as well.”

Reading gave their League One survival chances a boost with a 1-0 victory at home to promotion-chasing Derby.

The hosts, who were given a suspended three-point deduction for the abandonment of their Port Vale fixture, had the first chance after 16 minutes. Andy Yiadom turned and shot in the box but saw his effort come off the post and into the arms of goalkeeper Josh Vickers.

Sam Smith flicked a header from a corner just over, while Derby almost took the lead with six minutes of the half remaining, as a Conor Hourihane strike hit the upright.

Reading took the lead nine minutes in the second half. A Femi Azeez shot found the post, but the ball fell kindly to Paul Mukairu, who finished with precision.

The goal gave the hosts confidence, although Tyreece John-Jules should have done better with a header – 64 minutes in – after putting it wide.

Derby struggled to make much headway on the Reading goal after going behind and the Berkshire side held on for a vital three points.

Reading assistant James Oliver-Pearce revealed boss Ruben Selles apologised after being sent off during the 1-1 draw at Lincoln.

Nelson Abbey scored an own goal for the visitors after just three minutes before Harvey Knibbs secured the Royals a much-needed point in their fight for survival at Sincil Bank.

Reading had the ball in the net on two occasions before half-time, both through Paul Mukairu, but referee Bobby Madley whistled for a foul on the defender for the first before he was denied a second time by the offside flag.

And Selles was sent off when he kicked the ball away to stop the Imps taking a quick throw-in.

Due to English Football League rules, managers who are sent off are not allowed to talk to the media.

Oliver-Pearce, who took the club’s post-match media duties, said: “It was an impulsive reaction. They had a player running to take a quick throw and he tried to delay the restart.

“He was just trying to help the team. He apologised to the dressing room, it’s the first thing he did when he walked in.

“He doesn’t want to let the team down and wants to be out there to support them and the staff.

“I wasn’t aware of it as a rule personally. Apparently if the manager does it it’s a red, but if it’s one of us it isn’t.

“I’m not sure why it’s one rule for us and one rule for others. That’s the laws of the game. It’s a game we’re frustrated by because we had chances to win the game.”

Lincoln boss Michael Skubala was delighted to escape with a point after a below-par performance.

He said: “We’re relieved to get a point. We weren’t good today, let’s be honest.

“We neither effected their last line quick enough when we were trying to be direct or kept it well enough when we needed to.

“If you can’t win it, don’t lose it. That’s the story of the day for us.

“They work hard, sometimes not in the brightest way. They’re not very clever about it sometimes.

“In the end it was a big shift, a tough shift and it’s a point for us. Reading are a good side, they have some good players and we struggled to deal with them down the sides.

“I think it was offside from what I’ve seen. I think they’re fair the referees even though they went in our favour.

“I am aware of that rule now so I won’t do it. I’m not really interested in that, I just wanted to get our lads through that game.”