"Full credit to Reading, but I said it might be a bit of luck and ill-discipline,'' Dave Jones said after seeing his side fall again in sight of the finishing line.
"We were on top in the first half and then they got a break.
"I'm proud of the players but it just wasn't to be. We have to suffer and it's hard to swallow but we have to dust ourselves down.
"This is not the time to look for recriminations. We go away, assess and see where we can be better and that's how we have to grow. Now is not the time, you have to away and have a think.
"It's Reading's time and not ours.'
"As long as the club keeps building, we'll eventually do it,'' he added.
"We've got loan players here and some out of contract. We'll sit down and see where the owners want to go and what we next stage is.
"It's too early to start talking about anything (with Bellamy) because our hearts are on the floor. We have to allow ourselves to be disappointed and devastated.''
Whether Jones will get the chance to try again remains to be seen. 'Unlikely' is my comment to that.
Meanwhile for every loser there is a winner. Former City player Brian McDermott has taken his side to within one game of the Premier League.
"I thought it was a fantastic occasion. We're going to Wembley and we're delighted."
Reading were languishing in mid-table with little more than two months of the season left, but embarked on an eight-game winning run to power into the top six.
"We kept winning, we won eight on the trot and I always had faith," McDermott said.
"We live in the now and today is a fantastic occasion. I'm so pleased and the final will be a great occasion."