10-man Reading battled to a 1-1 draw with Luton Town.

Here is reaction from interim boss Noel Hunt.

Hunt on the match

We’ve got to be happy with the point in the end. I thought we started the game really well, really bright, and for the first 15-20 minutes we controlled the game. Then we started doing a few things that we didn’t speak about in the last couple of days and gave away a couple of easy balls which lead to us dropping off a little bit and giving them respect on the ball which led to waves of attacks. We addressed it at half-time and we started the second half really well and went ahead with a great goal. 1-0 up, scoring again and you think you’ve scored again, for it to get chalked off and get a man sent off.

We’ve seen it back and he doesn’t mean to handball it. There’s got to be an element of common sense. If you go with your head, sometimes you do close your eyes or blink and lose flight of the ball. It was harsh. The big man asked the referee if he didn’t celebrate and it’s a handball, he still would have sent him off. Come on- there’s no common sense to that. The spirit of the group, and the character, we’ve said it from the minute we’ve come in- the togetherness, you’re proud with how they’ve dealt with the pressure. The subs we brought on, the enthusiasm and energy they brought to get out to the ball and stop it coming at source. I’m very proud.

Hunt on the draw

Every point is important. We know that we have to take the positives and learn from little things. In the first half we gave the ball away a few times, just stay calm and get back to what you do in terms of the game plan. When we did do that, we look a good team- we are a good team. We’ve got some really good players in that dressing room. Speaking to them after I said did you want a lie in? No, everybody wants to get in early, watch the game and do the analysis.

Hunt on Andy Carroll

Even his first yellow card, he hasn’t touched him. There’s no contact, the boy just goes to his knees. He slides but he doesn’t get near him, and he books him. From there, with the second one, it’s not even clear. He says he’s handled it but just some common sense for me.

Hunt on striking options

We’ve got Lucas Joao and Kelvin E who will come in again. I thought Lucas was great tonight, he is really putting in a shift. With Kelvin E, you know what you’re going to get. It’s an opportunity again for us to have a look at that and possibly someone else on the bench.

Hunt on results around them

No, I don’t care. We’ve got to control what we can control. I’ll look at them later on but for us it’s about what we can do. We’ve got to focus on what we can do; I haven’t got time to look at teams around us that we’re not playing. It’s about what we have and what we can do for Coventry.

Hunt on Andy Carroll 

He knows it himself, but that’s not the point. The point is that if I’m in his shoes I probably do the same thing. He says it’s accidental, it’s accidental and he doesn’t mean it. Therefore, there’s nothing to be mad about, it’s one of them things. He’s gutted, and I said to him there’s nothing you can do about it. He’s hurting more than anyone down there. It’s a great header, he scores a great goal, and he thinks he’s scored a second one. It is what it is.