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However, the exact opposite was true in the Grimsby camp. The Mariners find themselves with only Brighton below them and an injury list almost as big as the gap between them and safety.
The Royals stamped their authority on the game early on and found themselves two goals to the good before half time.
Groves admitted: "If you start the game that poorly then you'll get punished. That was the poorest that we have played for a while.
"At 2-0 down we had to chase the game and get something early in the second half to make Reading jittery.
"If you can get an early goal you can get up a head of steam, we were unable to get one and got more desperate. We dealt with them better in the second half but were unable to get the goal."
The Mariners will hope to get something out of their clash with Ipswich tomorrow night in order to close the five point gap between them and safety.
Reading added a controversial late third goal, Darius Henderson was tackled firmly by Alan Pouton forty yards from goal. The ball looped up and over the head of the stranded Grimsby 'keeper. Both defender and attacker have since tried to claim the goal.
Groves added: "I would think it is an own goal. Alan Pouton went in wholeheartedly, when he sees the ball that's what he sees. That goal summed up our day really."