Pain and pleasure for rampant Royals

NOEL HUNT might have hit a sweet spot with his spectacular free-kick at Birmingham on Saturday but the Irish striker revealed he had struck a more sensitive area while practicing the routine at training.

Hunt helped the Royals to a crucial win over their promotion rivals with his glorious effort, struck over the wall and into the top corner.

The goal was all the more remarkable given Hunt was suffering concussion at the time, but the former Dundee United forward was not the only Royal nursing an injury as he strode up to take the free.