Winger Stephen Hunt is retaining his belief in the squad despite some hugely frustrating results recently.

The Royals have only won two out of seven Championship fixtures since the turn of the year, and got hit by a sucker punch against Nottingham Forest at the weekend.

But Hunt asserted, "We should never doubt ourselves. It's been unfortunate not being able to get the goals but it will come. Once we get the first goal in a match again then we can get back on track and it's really a matter of getting that opener to get us going once more."

Hunt also said Steve Coppell's belief in the players has not wavered one iota despite the recent run of results. "The manager has been good as gold.

"He is not an angry manager, he is constructive in what he says. He will criticise but he is not an angry man and that's all you can ask from him really. We have to just try and get out of the hole we are in now and push on."

Royals coach Wally Downes was similarly frustrated with defeat at the weekend, saying, "We played very well in the first half and we should have been a couple up.

"The performance wasn't as good in the second half but in the first we were terrific and unfortunately when you're on runs like this sometimes you have to just bear with it and hopefully come out playing better.

"If the chances don't go in early on then sometimes you think is it going to be our day? But you have to keep going and hope the other side don't score on the break - but they did this time around.

"Everyone should look at it as a 13-game season now. Don't be frightened, we should see it as a 13-game league and let's win it, there's nothing to be anxious about."