Reading FC

Noel Hunt trudges off the pitch after defeat to Peterbrough United
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Hunt looks for Blackpool backlash after Peterborough blip

By Jonny Fordham
March 21, 2012

Noel Hunt dismissed Reading’s shock 3-1 defeat at Peterborough United last night as a one-off and promised that the club will bounce back at home to Blackpool on Saturday.

Royals took the lead through Hunt in the 20th minute only to concede first-half goals to George Boyd and Tyronne Barnett before Paul Taylor secured Posh’s win eight minutes from time.

Hunt, whose seventh goal this season makes him Royals’ joint-top scorer with Adam Le Fondre, said: “We gave away two sloppy goals from set-pieces and that killed us.

“That’s not us and we will work on it. It’s nothing major and we just need to tweak some things so it won’t happen again. We’re all disappointed. They had all their men in front of the ball in the second half and we were battering them.

“There are always going to be times when you concede at set-pieces, but the boys at the back have been magnificent for most of the season.

“Our defending has been exceptional for the past six months and we will get back to that on Saturday against Blackpool.

“It’s a big game and we need to get another run going again.”

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Reading remain in second spot as closest rivals West Ham were held 1-1 at home to Middlesbrough.

Hunt is hoping that Royals will respond well to suffering just their sixth away defeat of the season.

He added: “It could be the kick in the bum that we need.

“Peterborough had 10 men behind the ball and there was no room in the box. We need to work around that and Saturday is a new start.”

And although Hunt netted the 200th goal during McDermott’s reign, he said: “That stat is good, but I’m gutted for the manager, who has been a revelation for this club since he came in. It doesn’t count for anything if you don’t win.

“We have to buck up our ideas for Saturday.”

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Sky Sports understands Arsenal youngster Benik Afobe is poised to join Reading on-loan for the rest of the season. Is this bad news wrt Robert's injury?

Spoof, Reading
21/03/2012 at 21:04

Well it was going to happen at some point! Had a sneaky feeling about last night! An opportunity lost as the Hammers cocked it up again last night!!

Still all in our own hands though - yes Hammers have a game in hand but if we beat them then it doesn't matter!

The winners last night were the Saints - Just 4 more wins and they will have done it!

Robsy , Reading
21/03/2012 at 18:48

Russell B: Think you said what many of us were thinking; well at least the son and I. Hope Harte's lack of place isn't going to come back to haunt us again; and did Brian give Mullins an undertaking to get some first team action, but Jem and Leggy exclude him playing in midfield for the present.

Silver Royal, Woodley
21/03/2012 at 17:24

Wake-up call for Saturday hopefully........ Agree that perhaps he should have rotated the squad a bit more, bit if that happened and we still lost - moans about why!! Bounce back on Sat - Urrrzzz!!

Southbank Dave
21/03/2012 at 11:54

People seem to forget that the end of season is the time for twists and turns. It is also the time that teams near the bottom are fighting for there lives and when you consider that Birmingham got thrashed by Pompey last night, it proves that nothing at the moment is predictable. I think the matches against the top teams will actually be easier as they are more of a known quantity. We would have preferred to have win the games, but we are where we are and still holding on to second spot. It's going to be a rollercoaster ride till the end of the season, but we are still in a great position and can do it!

Smiffy, Reading
21/03/2012 at 10:38

Don't get hysterical ladies. Last night was a blip, nothing more nothing less.

Bushes Bernal
21/03/2012 at 10:34

Maybe, just maybe the "poor" peformances during the 10 game unbeaten run means we finally got found out last night. Had to end sometime, but cannot help thinking we have been lucky in recent weeks and our current position flatters somewhat.

Time will tell.........looking forward to Saturday tho.

countrylad, Tilehurst
21/03/2012 at 10:25

Sounded to me like posh had the measure of the attack from the start, our goal only coming about because the keeper spilled it....this is surprising from a team with one of the worst defensive records in the league!

4 points from the last 9 against teams all in the bottom half of the table is disappointing and now West Ham again have the advantage of a game in hand when we could have made it count for nothing.

Fate in our own hands???.....Not quite.

Fishlips
21/03/2012 at 10:05

I wonder if Darren Ferguson had a word with the old man as to how best to take us on? It seems that we have a habit of coming unstuck against clubs at the lower end of the table. No disrespect to anyone in the Championship as anyone can beat anyone on the day.

SKAN, STAFFORDSHIRE
21/03/2012 at 09:44

i kind of said the other day it was going to happen after 3 long away trips in a short time and not really rotating the squad enough. looks like Roberts tweaked his hamstring now too.