Reading interim boss Noel Hunt admitted the referee's performance during the 2-1 defeat to Coventry City 'annoyed' him.

The man in the middle, Matt Donohue, frustrated the former Royals striker with a series of advantages and a handball claim- with Andy Carroll sent off in midweek for handball in the 1-1 draw against Luton Town.

Now inside the bottom three with two matches remaining, relegation to League One looms over Berkshire.

Speaking after the defeat in the West Midlands, Hunt said: "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."

Gustavo Hamer's second half winner came less than 90 seconds after Lucas Joao's equaliser.

Reading Chronicle:

Midfielder Jeff Hendrick was fouled in the build-up and had to wait off the pitch from the restart, with the Sky Blues retaking the lead almost instantly.

This was another issue for Hunt, adding: "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."

Reading Chronicle:

Wigan Athletic and Huddersfield Town stand in the way of the Royals in the run-in, with two wins and results in their favour the only way the side can survive another year in the Championship.