Long: Hunt just a ‘teddy bear’

Reading 3 Sheffield United 1

Hunt may have begun the season as a player little known outside Waterford but all that changed in October when, in the first minute of his first Premiership start, he was involved in a collision with Petr Cech that left the Chelsea goalkeeper with a fractured skull.

A vitriolic condemnation from Jose Mourinho and a clutch of death threats followed but eventually the headlines tailed off and the former Brentford midfielder began to get himself noticed for his performances on the pitch.

Indeed, the 25-year-old was one of his side’s top performers in the Royals’ latest success, the 3-1 victory over Sheffield United.

Hunt scored the clinching third goal in the 70th minute — to add to strikes from Shane Long and Ulises de la Cruz, with Christian Nade pulling one back for the Blades — but controversy had already located him by then, in the shape of Keith Gillespie’s arm.

The Blades substitute was on the pitch for less than 20 seconds so what Hunt could have done to upset him in that time remains a mystery.

Hunt toppled to the ground to give referee Mark Halsey no option other than to show Gillespie a straight red card and the official also sent Blades boss Neil Warnock to the stands, along with Reading coach Wally Downes, after a touchline brawl involving substitutes and backroom staff.

Just like Mourinho before him, Warnock had launched a tirade of technical-area invective Hunt’s way and Gillespie even came back for another go on his way off the pitch.

But ex-Tipp minor Long insisted his fellow countryman did not deserve his reputation as a controversy magnet.

“He is unlucky the way things happen around him. He seems to get the brunt of them but he is an honest player and wouldn’t want to hurt anyone. He’s a little teddy bear really.

“There was nothing to it and a credit to him for the way he just got on with it and scored. That showed the player he is. He is confident in himself and I wish him well.”

However Blades boss Neil Warnock is convinced Hunt was a player who does not always go for the ball.

He said: “I was disappointed in Hunt’s challenge on Nick Montgomery for the free kick where we scored our goal. He could have won the ball but he just waited and caught Montgomery. I didn’t like that challenge and there are one or two things I don’t like about Hunt.”

Opta Fact: Sheffield United have gone 10 games against Reading without a win (in all competitions).