Reading manager Noel Hunt was delighted with the clean sheet his side collected at Charlton Athletic today.
The Royals dropped a position to sixth in League One after the 0-0 draw in SE7.
But the visitors only fashioned a couple of scoring chances, Tyler Binden unable to find the target in the 24th minute while home keeper Ashley Maynard-Brewer made a crucial intervention to deny Sam Smith just moments into the second half.
“With the work the boys and us have put in over the last three or four weeks, and before that this season, they deserved that little bit of luck,” said Hunt, appointed as Reading’s new manager at the start of December.
“We got that little bit of luck that we deserved and maybe we hadn’t had in the last two or three games, when we have had penalty shouts and stuff.
“The boys were amazing today.
“We had two or three chances. The clean sheet was so important to us, I don’t think we’ve had an away one since April. That was a massive thing for us, in terms of how we defend as a team and tidying up a few bits.
“The boys battled all the way through. It was a young team.
“Away from home it is important we have a strong base – in terms of our spine. We have got experience all over the pitch. The boys in midfield were outstanding. Charlie Savage’s block in the last second is credit to him. Harlee Dean….his experience, using it to get one off the line. He should have had a goal up the other end as well.
“These (Charlton) haven’t dropped many points at home and they have got a big squad – you look at the likes of Chuks Aneke coming on and you think ‘wow’. Really impressed with the boys.
“Taking 10 points from 12 in the last nine days has been outstanding from the lads. It shows how close and strong we are as a group.”
PICTURE: KYLE ANDREWS