NO NEED for a phantom goal this time. A week after the Watford drama, Reading climbed to third in the Championship as the freescoring Kevin Doyle struck twice and Stephen Hunt was irresistible. Seven days earlier, Hunt and his brother Noel had combined in the goal that never was and yesterday their double act set the tone for a triumph for a side determined to return to the Premiership after relegation last season.

With his ability to switch wings and switch play, and his desire to be involved as often as he could, Swansea found Stephen Hunt difficult to control. It was from his 19th-minute corner on the right - same place and not far off the same minute that led to the bizarre events at Watford - that Reading took the lead.

When he swung the ball in, Noel Hunt met it with a powerful header to give Swansea goalkeeper Dorus de Vries little chance.

It was just the start of things to come. Swansea should have been quaking when looking at the Royals’ recent record. Reading had destroyed Sheffield United 6-0 in their previous home game and continued their flawless home record by bringing up their 16th goal in just four league games after this supreme victory. The game was all over as a contest after a tremendous attacking display.

Midfielder Brynjar Gunnarsson, making his first league start since suffering a knee injury in January and having returned in the Carling Cup defeat at Stoke in midweek, should have opened the scoring in the ninth minute.

Neat play down the right between Noel Hunt and Jimmy Kebe ended when Hunt whipped the ball into the near post and Gunnarsson got ahead of Garry Monk but steered his effort into the side-netting.

Following Noel Hunt’s opener, Doyle then rattled a shot just over the crossbar before adding the second in the 26th minute. Stephen Hunt was again involved and, after he fed the overlapping Chris Armstrong, the former Sheffield United man picked out Doyle perfectly on the penalty spot. The Republic of Ireland international hammered the ball into the bottom corner.

Stephen Hunt capped a fine 45 minutes with the third goal in the 40th minute. Kebe beat Bessone down the right before calmly picking out the arriving midfielder, who fired home a first-time shot.

“Stephen Hunt is no respector of reputations,” said his manager, Steve Coppell. “He goes flat out and it is a style that the supporters like to see.”

Roberto Martinez, the Swansea City manager, felt his side’s midweek Carling Cup victory over Welsh rivals Cardiff City played its part.

“The players were too relaxed and we gave the game away,” said an unhappy Martinez.

The manager made a double change at the break, replacing Jason Scotland and Thomas Butler with Febian Brandy and Mark Gower.

But it was the hosts who continued to pile forward with defender Andre Bikey flashing a header across the face of goal from Liam Rosenior’s cross. Bikey then fouled Brandy 25 yards from goal and Jordi Gomez crashed the free kick against the crossbar.

That was the closest Swansea came to scoring before Doyle finished off the win in the 90th minute, slotting home a pass by Stephen Hunt, after he had exchanged with Kalifa Cisse, for his eighth goal at the Madejski Stadium in his past three games.

Star man:Stephen Hunt (Reading)

Referee:S Mathieson Attendance:20,093

READING:Hahnemann 6, Rosenior 6, Bikey 6, Ingimarsson 6, Armstrong 7, Kebe 6 (Henry 80min), Karacan 7, Gunnarsson 6 (Cisse 70min), Stephen Hunt 8, Doyle 7, Noel Hunt 7 (Long 75min)

SWANSEA:De Vries 5, Rangel 5, Monk 5, Williams 5, Bessone 5, Butler 4 (Gower ht, 5), Britton 5, Bodde 5, Gomez 6, Scotland 4 (Brandy ht, 5), Pintado 4