The Royals suffered a 2-1 defeat at the hands of Cardiff City in what manager Noel Hunt called our most complete performance of the season.
Lewis Wing put the Royals ahead in the first half to take us into
the break ahead. Cardiff scored twice in the second half to take all three points.
The defeat leaves us in the relegation zone, two points from safety. Here is what Hunt had to say, he spoke to the official club website.
Hunt on the defeat
“I don’t know [how we lost]. I thought we played so well bar a 10-15-minute spell in the second half. I thought we were better team by far, and they are top of the league. We have to do that week in and week out: put in that performance and create those chances.
“We have to be more ruthless in both boxes, it’s as simple as that. With the chances we created, we made their goalkeeper look really good – but he wasn’t. We are just disappointed that we don’t go home with something out of the game.”
Hunt on Wing’s opener
“We want him to get into those areas. It’s about us arriving at the right time to support the play. It’s a good strike from Wingy but we had 18 other shots from inside the box.
“We have to keep going and create the chances because that is what we want to do. Good teams create chances.
“I think they had 10 shots and three on target, which is disappointing apparently, and two of those were goals. We have to toughen up and make sure we keep going. If we play like that over the next three or four weeks, we will put points on the board.
“We have proven goalscorers. Jack Marriott has six in seven and Paddy [Lane] is going through a spell at the moment, but he is getting closer and closer. I keep telling him that he has to keep getting in there.
“We had a couple drop down; he made a good save off [Charlie Savage] in the box. It’s what happens when you pen teams in like that and get our sixes at the top of the box. We have to stay on that page and make sure we play that way, if we do then we won’t be far away.”
Hunt on Paddy Lane’s chances
“The keeper has made a great save off him in the first half and he’s done everything right, sometimes you have to put it down to good defending or being in the right place at the right time.
“He has to keep going and keep believing. He asked me if he could do any more and I told him that he’s done everything right, back across the keeper and he’s hit the target. It’s a recovery save that nine times out of 10 [the defender’s] not there.”
Hunt on the Cardiff goals coming down the right
“Jeriel playing left-back is a different role for him from the last few weeks, it’s more of an excursion. If we could get another four or five minutes out of him, we could’ve got him off and get Matty on.
“He’s come inside the pitch at bit too easy, it takes a bit of a deflection and a bit of luck, so we’re disappointed with that one. The second one, he goes down the side, and you have to contact defend in the box.
“We do so much on it and last year we prided ourselves on clean sheets. We have to start getting that understanding and practice in for the mindset of keeping clean sheets.”
Hunt on Northampton Town on Tuesday evening
“I’m disappointed with the loss – we haven’t lost in a long time – but if we play like that, on the front foot and aggressively, that’s what Reading is about. That’s the most complete performance we have had as a team. We have to keep on the same page and go better on Tuesday night.”
