Paul Ince praised the match-winning contribution of French midfielder Amadou Mbengue in Reading’s 1-0 Sky Bet Championship victory at home to in-form Coventry.
Both teams cancelled each other out in a scrappy first half but Reading made the vital breakthrough in the 57th minute.
Tom McIntyre headed on in a congested Coventry area and Mbengue, formerly of Metz, nodded in his first goal for the club via the underside of the crossbar.
“It’s great for Amadou,” said Royals boss Ince. “He’s only a 20-year-old kid and he’s still got a lot to learn.
“At times, as you can see, he’s a little bit raw. But that’s with youth.
“He’s an infectious lad, he wants to do well, he’s a real trier, he’s got plenty of pace and he’s a good player.
“He’s always got a smile on his face when he comes into training and the lads love him.
“So for him to get the winner, that’s great.
“If you score in a draw, that doesn’t really count. But if you get the winner, it counts. So he’ll be really buzzing today.”
Reading have now secured back-to-back Championship wins.
“I thought that we put in a really good performance, especially in the first half,” Ince said.
“It’s always tough when you’ve been away for four weeks (over the World Cup break). You don’t really realise how tough it is.
“We started the game really sharply. I said before the game that we needed a fast start and we needed to get at Coventry – and we did that very well.
“When we came back for the second half, we were slow for some reason. I’m not sure why.
“Sometimes, as a manager, you just don’t know. We were really slow out of the blocks and that could have been punished.
“But it was always going to be a one-goal game. On the balance of play, it was always going to be one goal either way.
“OK, we were a bit fortuitous when Coventry hit the post (through a Michael Rose header).
“But for us to get a result at home after four weeks off is a great return.”
Before the World Cup break, Coventry had won seven of nine matches.
“That performance, on another day, could have got us three points,” said Sky Blues boss Mark Robins.
“I thought that it was harsh on us not to get anything out of it.
“We were playing well and, when we came out for the second half, we were really on top.
“But then we concede a goal against the run of play. It’s the first set-play goal, from a corner, that we’ve conceded this season.
“For that to happen, and for us to lose the game on the back of it, is really disappointing.
“We hit the post and we had one or two bits and pieces around their box.
“But you could tell that we needed that game. We needed that sharpness in the final third. Actually, that was probably the case for both teams.
“I thought that we were really good, we moved the ball around really well – aside from creating too many good opportunities.
“When we did, we either snatched at them or we didn’t get the right connection.
“It’s that last little bit in the final third that we were looking for.”
