Noel Hunt Rues Reading's Concentration Lapse In Late Burton Albion Defeat
Yesterday at 06:57 AM
The Brewers struck in the 91st minute to send the Royals home empty-handed, despite a second-half comeback.
Reading conceded a stoppage-time goal to secure three points for relegation-threatened Burton Albion at the Pirelli Stadium on Tuesday night.
Burton Albion went into half-time 2-0 up in what was a disappointing first half. The Royals came out fighting in the second half with goals through Michael Craig and Sam Smith but Rumarn Burrell scored a winner for the home side.
After three defeats in a row, we now sit 10th, three points from the play-offs. Manager Noel Hunt was frustrated with the last-minute winner. Here is what he had to say, he spoke to the Reading Chronicle.
Hunt on the defeat
"It is frustrating. The lad is two yards offside for the second goal - we hold the line well and have to rely on these officials to do their jobs properly because it's costing us. We then have a stonewall penalty with Harvey on the wrong side of the defender not given and a free-kick given with a goalkeeper who has gone over himself and mistimed the jump.
"The way we played tonight, I thought we were far better than what Burton were. We dominated the game, created chances and to go two down was tough - from our mistake and the official's mistake. To get it back, the fight, determination and grit the boys showed - the discipline in the structure and how we played in moving the ball - was a lot more like us.
"I'm screaming at them to manage the game and slow it down because sometimes you have to know what you have and take it, but speaking in there, they felt they could go and win it.
"We wanted to play but we have to learn that we can't do that and to stick to the plan. If we're going to win it, we will win it the way we got the two in the second half and do the same things with three or four-minutes left. That lapse of concentration has cost us tonight."
Hunt on conceding goals from crosses
"We spoke about it and worked on it yesterday. We spoke about it in detail, we knew that was the ball, they've scored four or five in the last four or five games. We worked on it, cutting out the front-post area.
"From us, we have been relatively good in terms of defending the cage and we have probably let standard slip in the last couple of weeks, but we have to get back on it and build on what we showed tonight.
"Cut out the little mistakes, make sure our structure is right, and our discipline is right in terms of our marking in the box, contact defending and front-post areas."
Hunt on the disappointment in the dressing room
"I was probably the angriest man in there, and rightly so. I felt we deserved more out of the game, and I felt the game owed us something because of the decisions against us that were given. I told them not to get their heads down, keep going and we fell short because we had the lapse of concentration.
"They felt they let themselves down a bit in terms of going to kick quickly when we were spread. It was an improvement from last Saturday - we were trying to earn the right for the whole game, and we got the balance right.
"It's game management and the first 10 minutes of the game, last five minutes of the half, first 10 minutes of the second half and last five minutes. No matter how you're feeling, you have to stick to the game plan and stick to what you know. Us kicking there cut us off."
