Reading lost 2-1 to Coventry City, denting their hopes of Championship survival.

Here is every word from interim boss Noel Hunt.

Hunt on the game

Maybe we were a bit leggy in the first half. I tried to freshen it up with a couple of the young ones. I felt Ty had put in a great shift recently. I thought Cov started better than us. they did to us what we wanted to do to them, get them turned. When we settled into the game we had some really good passages of play, a little be more belief in the final third and we created some chances. The goal goes in, a mistake from us, and it’s a great finish. At half time we spoke about how we are going to restart the game and try to do what we tried to do in the first half.

It worked and we got a good goal. Then Jeff is off the pitch and against quality of Cov, with Hamer, it left us a bit exposed and unfortunately it fell for them in the box after we got a block in. It falls their way and ends up being the winning goal. I felt in the last 15-20 minutes we were putting the pressure on and had some really good opportunities. I felt the referee was not great in our point, in terms of the way fouls were given. Six went down with a head injury but he let play go on for them, they go through and get a chance but the minute we save it and break he pulls it up- ridiculous decisions. On the whole, disappointed that nothing fell for us in the last 10-15 minutes because we had plenty of opportunities to get it in there. On another day maybe something would have fallen for us.

Hunt on Coventry second goal

It's a bad tackle, I don’t care how quick the game is. They slow it down and it looks bad. If Jeff slides for the ball and gets the ball, and the kid slides into him, it’s a bad foul and a booking. There were three or four pull backs and intentional fouls brushed under the carpet. There was a handball- we had someone sent off for an accidental handball on Wednesday and there was nothing given. They make up the rules as they go along, it’s horses for courses. It annoys me that one referee can have a preference to something over another referee. It doesn’t matter- the result is the important thing. The boys are disappointed, but I said get your heads up, there are plenty of good things to take from it and we’ll work for next Saturday.

Hunt on other results

I want to stay in our game and focus on our team, what will be will be. The results won’t change around us because I’m thinking about them. For us, it was about staying focused on what we could do on the pitch. After you see the results, and at this time of year you generally get a couple of mad results. We’ve got to keep focused and stay on our page. We’ve still got a lot to fight for and play for, so we will start with Wigan.

Hunt on injury returns

They’re breaking their backsides to come and play. They’re weeks and months ahead of schedule to play. They did great today when they came on. I didn’t want to be using them but needs must at this time of the season. We’re very grateful and we will look to see what we can do for Saturday.

Hunt on Meite and Hoilett

They’re back on the grass next week, whether next week will come too soon for them I’m not too sure. We’ll monitor and I know with the characters they are they will put their best foot forward and try to play.

Hunt on Mamadi Camara

It was a tough one for him. They’re a good side with a back three. We needed someone with legs which would give Lucas a chance to get on the ball. He did in the first half and a few great opportunities came through it. He worked hard and it’s a great learning curve for him. If they’re to have careers in the Football League, they need to deal with the pressure.

Hunt on player characters

They’ll pick themselves up. You see the characters we have in that dressing room, from Joe through to Scott Dann- who didn’t feature. AC and everyone in between, Shane, we have unbelievable characters in the dressing room, and they make my job very easy. We have to stick together and put a plan in place to execute it next week.

Hunt on fans

They’re huge, always have been. We’re really appreciative of them today, they turned out in their numbers and we could hear them all the way through. They’ve been great all season and stuck with the team,