ROY KEANE did not “do a Cantona”, but the Sunderland manager must have been sorely tempted to vent his frustration in an anarchic way after this.

For the second time in a week his team fell foul of a late decision by the match officials, costing them vital points, as Stephen Hunt secured Reading’s victory with a close-range shot in the second minute of stoppage time. TV replays were inconclusive over whether the ball had crossed the line before Craig Gordon, the Sunderland goalkeeper, pushed it away, but referee Steve Tanner and his assistant Steve Rubery conferred and awarded the goal.

Keane admitted on the eve of the game that abuse by fans has sometimes pushed him to the brink of replicating Eric Cantona’s infamous kung fu kick, and he faced a fight within to control his base instincts again.

“We’ve got a few great excuses to lose the head, but we’ll try to rise above it,” he said. “Nobody is certain, are they? We’re not sure but, if the referee’s assistant can give it, then obviously he has very good eyesight.

“I’m told to believe that if the official’s not sure over any decision, a sending-off or a penalty kick, he can’t give it. If the referee’s assistant is sure the ball crossed the line, then all credit to him. He must have fantastic vision because we watched it a few times and it’s still unclear. Craig feels that the whole ball didn’t go over the line.”

Coming so soon after Steve Bennett had disallowed what would have been a winning goal in stoppage time by Danny Collins against Aston Villa, Keane and Sunderland were entitled to feel aggrieved but, in truth, the dispute over Hunt’s goal could not blur the reality that Reading were the better team and deserved to win.

On another day Kevin Doyle, the Reading striker, might have scored a hat-trick but he and his team were profligate for the most part before, finally, James Harper floated a free kick into the near post that Ibrahima Sonko met with a downward header, Gordon parried and Ivar Ingimarsson converted a simple tap-in, the centre-half’s first goal of the season. It was only what Reading deserved.

Yet Sunderland were thrown a lifeline when, out of the blue, Michael Chopra released Kenwyne Jones into the penalty area and Sonko stuck out his leg to bring down the Sunderland striker. Correctly, the referee pointed to the spot, Chopra converted the penalty kick, and Sunderland might even have snatched a win.

Keane made several changes to his team after the 1-1 draw with Villa, Gordon returning to a starting role and Grant Leadbitter, Chopra and Andrew Cole all coming into an attacking formation, but for the majority of the first half Reading looked far more likely to score with Hunt, who was brilliant, and Bobby Convey providing width and penetration and a succession of chances for Doyle and Dave Kitson. Gordon and the central defensive duo of Paul McShane and Danny Higginbotham were under intense pressure but a combination of their own resolve and Reading’s inaccuracy kept them in the game.

Kitson and Doyle, both twice, Sonko, Hunt and Nicky Shorey all peppered Gordon’s goal without success before Ingimarsson brought relief to the home team and although Sunderland, to their credit, tried to hit back, their half-chances were sporadic before Sonko gave them a pass back into the game.

Doyle had spurned another opportunity to increase Reading’s lead when he shot wide from an acute angle when one-on-one with Gordon. Then Chopra scored for Sunderland and, from a position of dominance, Reading were under pressure, Jones beating Ingimarsson and the Reading goalkeeper having to save with his legs before the game reached its controversial climax.

“I only saw the goal in real time and out on the pitch I thought the ball had hit the post and come out,” Reading manager Steve Coppell said of Hunt’s winner. “Then the assistant referee stuck up his flag and gave the goal. He was in a good position and you can’t question his integrity.” But there will be many questions swimming through Keane’s mind this Christmas.

Player ratings: Reading: Hahnemann 7, Murty 7, Sonko 6, Ingimarsson 7, Shorey 7, Hunt 8, Gunnarsson 6, Harper 7, Convey 7 (Long 84min), Doyle 5, Kitson 6

Sunderland: Gordon 6, Whitehead 6, McShane 6, Higginbotham 7, Collins 6, Chopra 6 (Stokes 88min), Leadbitter 6, Yorke 6, Murphy 6 (Wallace 62min), Jones 7, Cole 5 (Etuhu 62min)

Star man: S Hunt (Reading)

Scorers: Reading: Ingimarsson 69, Hunt 90

Sunderland: Chopra 83 pen

Yellow cards: Sunderland: Murphy, Leadbitter, Jones, Yorke

Referee: S Tanner

Attendance: 24,082