Hunt: 'We can still improve'

James Walker-Roberts • Published 28 Nov 2011 17:00 0 Comments

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READING'S Portman Road hero Noel Hunt insists his side still have plenty of work to do if they are to compete at the top of the Championship this season.

Hunt scored a dramatic injury-time winner against Ipswich Town on Saturday as Reading twice came from behind to eventually triumph 3-2.

The result was the perfect tonic for Royals after their disappointing home loss to Cardiff City a week earlier, while Ipswich have now lost five games on the bounce, including three successive 3-2 defeats.

And with the Tractor Boys struggling for form, Hunt acknowledged that even though the victory was vital, Royals need to improve all over the pitch in future games.

"We need to rectify things, now that we've won the game we need to sort things out," he said.

"It's everyone, it's me and [Simon] Church and Alf [Adam Le Fondre] up front and the whole team, we need to stop giving away silly goals. That starts from up front so you can't blame individuals. We all need to sort it out and kick on.

"We did it the hard way, we know what these guys are like, we know Ivar Ingimarsson and I've known Daryl Murphy for years since I was a kid, and they caused us problems, so we did well to get the three points."

Royals were thankful for the set-piece delivery of the returning Ian Harte at Portman Road as they twice came from behind in the second half.

Harte, back in the side in place of the injured Joseph Mills, curled in a free-kick for Kaspars Gorkss to score the first goal and then provided the corner for Alex Pearce to head in the second.

Hunt was the hero at the death, however, as he beat Richard Wright at the back post after a counter-attack from Royals.

"It was my second 90 minutes of the season and I'm happy I could thank the manager with a goal," said the striker.

"It's great for a forward to stay on the field because you always feel you can nick a goal late on, no matter which way the game is going, you always think for 90 minutes when their guard is down you can score."

Reading are due to host Peterborough tomnorrow night (Tuesday) before travelling to Ian Holloway's Blackpool on Saturday (3pm ko).

Hunt, who was linked with a move to Ipswich over the summer, will be hoping that he can retain his place in the side for both matches but insists that he is not worried about ending Reading's remarkable first-half record that has seen them score just once in the opening period this season.

"It doesn't bother me at all, Churchy came close in the first half and we won the game," he insisted. "I don't care when we score, we can score in the 105th minute as long as it goes in and we win the match.

"You can come up with different stats for every team. As long as it's not 'we haven't won in 10 matches,' then I don't care."

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