Reading manager Noel Hunt has tasked his side to keep putting points on the board as they continue to target a League One play-off spot.
The 42-year-old is currently enjoying his first managerial rein having taken over from Ruben Selles in December. He endured a tricky start but has recovered since Christmas to keep the Royals in with a shout of a top six finish.
Reading extended their unbeaten run to seven games on Tuesday night with a 0-0 draw against Exeter City on Tuesday night. This has kept them to within four points of sixth-placed Huddersfield Town, who have played a game more. They travel to relegation threatened Crawley Town tomorrow hoping to close the gap against a team that are winless in their last five outings.
Hunt Hoping For Final Push For Play-Offs
Although Reading haven’t tasted defeat since the end of January, they are still dropping too many points. They have drawn three of their last four home games and know that they need to start picking up wins in order to earn a spot in the play-offs.
Hunt is hoping to kickstart that against Crawley and has told his squad that if they win their games, the rest will take care of itself. Speaking to official club media, he said:
“We’ve spoken a couple of times and we know about this intense, busy schedule we’ve got at the moment.
“Tuesday, we look back on it, and it’s another point on the board during this busy schedule and we keep totting those points up.
“Last Saturday was intense, so then asking the boys to repeat that, it’s a tough ask, but the boys gave it their all.
“I just keep on saying we want to win our own games, teams up and down the country will get beat, you know what I mean? And they’ll draw games, especially in our position where we are.”
Writer’s View
Hunt believes that other teams in and around them will start drawing more games between now and the end of the season, but the fact of the matter is that Reading are one of the teams currently doing exactly that. Although seven games unbeaten, four have been draws, with three of them coming at the Select Car Leasing Stadium. They will be expected to beat Crawley tomorrow but they will come up against a team that are edging closer to relegation. They will provide a tough test, but three points is imperative for the Royals.
