Royals Suffer Fresh Injury Woes

Reading striker Dave Kitson has suffered jet another cruel blow just a week before he was set to resume training again.

The Royals` top goalscorer from last season, who has not figured since scoring in the first half against Middlesbrough on the opening day of the current campaign, is now expected to be on the sidelines for a further six weeks.

Kitson, who was making good progress on his previous knee and hamstring injuries, was taken ill on Wednesday morning. The striker was rushed to hospital where he underwent surgery to remove his appendix. He is now said to be at home resting.

Meanwhile, the fitness of both skipper Graeme Murty and tenacious midfielder Stephen Hunt is being monitored. The pair were removed from the field earlier during Wednesday`s dramatic defeat to Newcastle, and physio Jon Fearn is now working hard in order to have them fit for tomorrow`s trip to fellow promotees Watford.

Jon said, ‘Murts came off near the end with a badly bruised toe and we’ll take another look at him on Friday.

‘Hunty was substituted as a precaution with a minor hamstring injury, and again we’ll assess him on Friday morning.

‘It’s not serious so we’re hopeful he’ll be available for Saturday.’

Manager Steve Coppell added, ‘Hunty should be ok, and Murts had an x-ray yesterday which showed there is no fracture to his toe, so we could stick a little jab in there.

‘Kevin Doyle trained on Friday so he will be no problem, and Seol has a sore toe and didn’t train, but we’re confident that he’ll be alright’, he concluded.