Frustrated boss Ian Evatt admitted Wanderers had only themselves to blame for leaving Reading empty-handed after missed chances proved their undoing.
The Whites looked set to extend an impressive start to the season when Dion Charles gave them a half-time lead with his sixth goal of the season.
But with Reading not being killed off from a succession of gilt-edged opportunities, they rallied late on to score twice in the final quarter of an hour and make it three successive home league wins with a 2-1 victory.
“It’s baffling really, but we’ve only got ourselves to blame,” said Evatt.
“The game should have been over at half time. We had three or four critical chances that we didn’t take and then second half we had another great chance to extend the lead.
“We didn’t and basically, that gave them belief that they were still in the game. It galvanised them and the crowd, and once they got that goal from distance, it shifted the momentum and we couldn’t wrestle it back.
“But it’s a game we should never lose. I think everyone that was here today could see that for large parts we dominated, created the best chances but just didn’t kill them off.”
Evatt was equally frustrated by some of the refereeing decisions as his side collected six yellow cards to Reading’s three.
Two of those went to Eoin Toal, who will now miss next Saturday’s visit of Peterborough, while Reading defender Tyler Bindon looked to clip Charles as he raced through on goal without getting any sanction.
“When the defender clearly brings him down, it’s a clear red card for me but we didn’t get that decision. But we have to take the referee out of the equation and finish the job ourselves,” Evatt added.
“Away from home you don’t get those opportunities very often but we did today. It’s okay to miss chances but it’s the type of chances we are creating.
“Scoring goals is the hardest thing to do in football so some of the chances being missed you can understand. But the ones we had today, they have to be goals and they change the dynamic of the game. It’s something we’ll look at and work on.
“We have to take our medicine and understand that’s a game we should never lose. Even at 1-1 we just see it out speak about the missed opportunities afterwards.
“It’s not a game you can lose but we managed to. It’s a learning curve but it’s not accepted. The players understand that losing games for this football club, with this group of players and those fans that travelled in their numbers today, isn’t acceptable. Now we have to respond.”
Evatt confirmed that top scorer Charles needed to be replaced after sustaining a shoulder injury, which will continue to be assessed.
Wanderers also have midfielder Paris Maghoma and defender Zac Ashworth under treatment after they joined Paris Mendes Gomes on the injury list to miss the trip to Reading, with midfielder Maghoma out for around three weeks with a muscle injury.
Watch the manager's full post-match interview on Wanderers TV.