Foxes win leaves McDermott purring
Sportsdesk • Published 15 Aug 2011 18:30
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Key moment: Noel Hunt is mobbed by his team-mates in front of jubilant Royals fans during the 2-0 win on Saturday. Pic: Leicester Mercury.
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Leicester City 0 - 2 Reading
READING boss Brian McDermott hailed his side's team spirit after their superb 2-0 victory at Championship title-favourites Leicester City.
Sven Goran-Eriksson's Foxes have splashed the cash this summer with a string of high profile signings including former Royals skipper Matt Mills for a club record £5.5 million.
But it was Mills who was left licking his wounds on Saturday as goals from Noel Hunt and Hal Robson-Kanu at King Power Stadium secured Reading's first win of the league campaign.
McDermott declared: "You could smell the expectation around the place. Leicester have signed a lot of players and spent a shed load of money but our squad is terrific.
"We've got a good bunch - if you give them a job to do they'll do it. We've got pace in our team and individuals with real ability.
"Our quality on the ball was first class and we enjoy working together. It's about the spirit and the quality we've got, the players and the staff work really, really hard every day."
Royals controlled the majority of the game and Noel Hunt gave them a deserved lead midway through second-half before substitute Hal Robson-Kanu made it 2-0 in the last minute.
It was a result few expected before kick-off with the Foxes firm favourites to secure three points.
And McDermott argued: "Anyone who comes to Leicester this season has got to play well and work hard. We have to be delighted with what we've achieved.
"We had a game plan which we stuck to. Before the match we talked about us, our players and how we could hurt them. We've come away with the win and a clean sheet.
"We had a couple of one-on-ones and chances to score, but we didn't quite manage to in the first-half. But we were patient and we were good value for the win.
"You expect Leicester to have opportunities. Fedders (Adam Federici) made a good save and (David) Nugent hit the post. But Noel is very good in the air in the box and that goal came at the right time.
"Then we scored again late on which was a relief. Hal's finish was excellent. I'm absolutely delighted with every one of the players."
Mills was routinely jeered by Reading's travelling fans for jumping ship recently to join Eriksson's expensively-assembled team.
But the ex-Royals skipper was given a tough time all afternoon by burly striker Mathieu Manset.
Manset, 22, has hit the ground running this season and a week earlier he came off the bench to score twice against Millwall to salvage a 2-2 draw at Madejski Stadium.
McDermott beamed: "He's a young lad at 22 years of age, but he's strong and he's got real talent.
"He's worked really hard through the summer and he'll feel the benefits from that, he's getting fitter every day.
"We've got really high hopes for him. He just fits into the group and he's a very popular lad here."
The victory over the Foxes also proved there is life after striker Shane Long who marked his recent £7.5 million move to West Brom with a goal in their 2-1 defeat by Manchester United on Sunday.
And Long's Republic of Ireland team-mate Hunt said: "We're lucky that we have plenty of players ready to step in and get goals. There's Manny (Mathieu Manset), Hal, Simon Church - right back to Jobi McAnuff, Jimmy Kebe and even Jem Karacan and Mikele Leigertwood who can all score goals."
Reading were due to play another away fixture last night (Tuesday) with a trip to Portsmouth (7.45pm ko).
l For the best post-match coverage see Thursday's Bracknell News.
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