Reading FC brought Christmas joy to the Select Car Leasing Stadium as they overcome Luton Town 3-2 in the last home game of the year.
Reading were winning 2-0 for 60 minutes but Luton had brought it back to 2-2 by the 76th minute through goals from Jordan Clark and Nigel Lonwijk respectively. Substitute Kelvin Ehibhatiomhan put Reading back into the lead only minutes later.
Reacting to the manner in which Reading won the game, Richardson said: "Delighted with the result, delighted with how we responded from a negative setback.
"Not so pleased with how it came about, as we were in control of the game at 2-0. We know we've got a young squad, we know we've got young players on there learning on the job, and we spoke to them in the last week, ten days even, about how consistent we can be with our own performance, how consistent we can be collectively out there to put that consistency in results.
"Again, sometimes you've got to find a way to win and tonight we did that."
Reading showed real resilience to see out the match and secure the three points after back-to-back defeats to Peterborough and Bradford.
Richardson added: "It's always important to win. When we went to Bradford, who could have gone top on Saturday, I thought, again, we're in really good shape, good spirits, we possibly should have gone in the lead in the first 60 minutes, and then we couldn't maintain it and tonight, very similar, but the difference was we found a way to win.
"Good teams and good groups do that.
"I've got a big thing within the squad that subs and squad players, etc., aren't picked on the day. They either go on the pitch and maintain the level or lift it. If they don't, they don't go on.
"Tonight, you saw again, the lads who went on the pitch, they lifted the levels. Big Kelvin, who went on for Jack, Finley Burns, Liam, etc., they go on and maintain and lift them levels.
"Of course, it's important that we're going into games now every three to four days, and we're going to need the whole squad, and you've seen then the full squad got the result tonight."
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Reading FC v Luton Town. EFL Sky Bet League One 25/26. _(Image: ©Jason Dawson)_
Reading defender Derrick Williams, who was way out of position, played a major role in putting the Royals back in the lead by setting up Ehibhatiomhan.
He received a ball from Joel Pereira in the attacking-third, he then controls it perfectly with his chest and lobs a pass to Kelvin Ehibhatiomhan in behind the defence in Luton's box. The forward chests it down with speed runs in behind and slices the ball past a helpless Keeley to put Reading in the lead.
Richardson was pleased with Williams' performance and compared his touch and positioning for the goal to Manchester United's Bruno Fernandes.
He said: "I thought he led by example, and again it's a large part of why we won. I thought his assist at the end then he was like a number 10.
"Sort of like Bruno Fernandes, I don't know what he was doing up there, nearly screamed at him, but then, thankfully, he made a fantastic pass and went to finish the attack."
Richardson also emphasised the importance of taking the "emotion out of the game" as Reading conceded two goals to go level with Luton.
He said:"You've got to be careful, because I try and speak to the players about taking the emotion out of the game, because obviously they've got all these actions to go on, and it's my job to try and give them the right information at the right times, to make them right actions.
"Obviously, when you've got a 2-0 lead, the first goal really was the one I'm disappointed with, because then it makes the game of it.
"I felt we were five or ten minutes away from finishing the game, and we've got to make sure we tidy up on that, which we will.
"The endeavour and the fight to go and get the winner is exemplary for them."
Reading's next fixture is an away trip to Plymouth on Boxing Day for a 3pm kick-off, looking ahead the Royals boss said: "Great fixture for the fans, Boxing Day, we'll go there full of confidence.
"We want to go and, again, improve on our performances, maintain and have a bit more consistency in what we do.
"So, we'll be in tomorrow, we'll look at Plymouth straight away and we'll look forward to it."
Thursday night's win places Reading 14th in the league with 25 points, seven points behind the play-off spots and three points above the relegation zone.
When asked if it's a better position to be in from only 90 minutes prior, Richardson said: "I would say so, because I don't think anybody else has played.
"So, it's great when you win, when nobody else plays but we don't look at it really. I don't set targets or anything.
"I take the pressure off the players for that. It's my pressure to deal with results and deal with all the things around the football club.
"It's their pressure to make sure they're fit, available, robust, and make sure they give a really good account of themselves every time they're on the pitch."